Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Usman, has denied speculation that she is being investigated by the Presidency over allegation of corruption.
In a statement she personally signed on Thursday, Ms. Usman said she had nothing to hide, and was ready for probe.
The NPA boss said she would not bend in her resolve to rid the agency of corruption, adding that there was no meeting between her and any All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain.
“My attention has been drawn to malicious lies being bandied around by a Prince Henry Nwazuruahu on my person,” Usman said.
“I wish to challenge him to bring up evidence on any such meeting with any APC Chieftain and any monies being given. I wish to challenge him to provide the authorship to this report whom I shall file a suit against in the court of law for defamation of character.”
She added that in the last few days, she had faced a barrage of “malicious lies” directed against her in the media, saying she will not budge on her position on compliance with Federal Government of Nigeria policies.
“I will not bow on my stance to rid the NPA of corrupt practices,” she added.
“I will not be cowed or intimidated into conforming to corrupt practices of cheating the Federal government of its revenues.
“I have been issued with death threats and veiled messages conveying that my life is at risk because of the stance I have taken. No false media attacks or threats to my life will stand in the way of my doing the right thing.”
She affirmed that the agency had not received any notification by the Presidency of an investigation, saying the agency is open to any of such investigation as it has nothing to hide.
Usman, co-founder of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaign group, was appointed NPA managing director in July 2016.
She was chief of staff to Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on Anti-Corruption until her appointment.
