New Telegraph

Nunieh: How Wike saved me from police arrest

Gov aborts arrest of ex-NDDC MD, seeks IGP’s probe

The former Managing Director of the Interim Committee Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Joy Nunieh, has said that the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Gobun Mukan was not aware of her planned arrest yesterday. Nunieh, who spoke to newsmen, said she was surprised that some police officers invaded her house without warrant of arrest.

The ex-NDDC MD thanked Governor Nyesom Wike for coming to save her from an attempted arrest by security operatives. She said: “Senator Magnus Abe called me after a while that the CP in Rivers did not really know about it and that the CP was going to reach me. The CP did reach me and said he was not aware of what was going on.

“The CP asked that I send him my address, which I did and then I saw the cars come in. So, I asked if that was the CP, and they said no. Fortunately, I was just wise enough. I stayed by the door, and they wanted to drag me, so I just banged the door, so they can’t come in. “So, I now left the front door to call my governor, to tell my governor that this is what has happened.

He (Wike) said no, I should not go anywhere that he was on his way. They kept trying to pull down the door and then I asked them for a warrant of arrest and I said I can’t go anywhere without a warrant of arrest. “I needed to see the warrant. We are not in a Banana Republic. So, as they were still trying, my governor came and sent them out; that why would they come to arrest a woman like an armed robber; that they should leave the compound.

“The governor then said I should enter the car with him. So, I am now with my governor in Government House, Port Harcourt. “I really want to thank the governor. I really don’t know what to say, but my governor is a man. He is a man. He didn’t just say it that nothing should happen to me, he came to my rescue. I want to say thank you to my governor.” Wike had earlier yesterday saved Nunieh from being arrested at her residence in Old GRA Port Harcourt. A team of Police officers had laid siege to Nunieh’s residence directly opposite Holy Rosary Secondary School, Old GRA, wanting to arrest her, but the former NDDC boss refused to surrender, because they allegedly didn’t come with a warrant of arrest.

Nunieh was billed to testify before a House of Representatives committee in Abuja on some issues that transpired during her stint at the commission and was about to leave her residence when the police officers came calling. Recently, Nunieh had accused the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, of corruption and sexual harassment, which the minister has denied. As the policemen and Nunieh argued on the arrest, Wike, accompanied by security operatives attached to the River Government’s House, stormed the area and was said to have ordered the policemen to vacate Nunieh’s residence. The governor later took the embattled former NDDC boss to the Government House. In several video clips that have gone viral, Wike’s convoy was seen driving into Nunieh’s house and moving out with her in his convoy.

A few days ago, Wike declared that his administration will not allow any harm befall Nunieh from the ongoing investigation of the NDDC. Meanwhile, Governor Wike has called on the Inspector- General of Police to investigate the circumstances that led to over 50 armed policemen storming the Port Harcourt residence of former Managing Director of the NDDC, Joy Nuniel. Wike berated armed policemen who claimed to be members of the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit, noting that under a civilised society, the proper thing to do is to invite her to answer to any allegation.

He said that the way the policemen stormed her residence about 4a.m. suggests some sinister motive that should not be tolerated. “What has happened today is a disgrace. Who knows what would have happened to her if they had gained access to her main room? I went there personally to see things for myself and rescued her. “She is supposed to testify before the House of Representatives Committee and here we are having armed men wanting to abduct her.

We came out to protect our daughter and we will do so to every Rivers citizen. That is the oath of office I swore to. It doesn’t matter the political affiliation. We will not allow anybody to destroy Rivers State. “It is so unfortunate and I cry for this country concerning the ways things are going.

They didn’t have a warrant of arrest, but would storm somebody’s house, in fact, the State Commissioner of Police is not aware. “So, tell me how something will happen in a state and the Commissioner of Police is not aware. They said it’s the Inspector General Monitoring Unit. So, we have such a Unit taking over the responsibility of crime fighting in a state and the Commissioner of Police is not aware? I can also assume too that the Inspector General of Police is not aware. He should investigate it,” he said.

Wike also called on governors of states that make up the NDDC to ensure that their citizens do not have a hand in the planned abduction of the former Managing Director of NDDC. “If there is any allegation of crime against her, I will not back her, but you can’t kill her for no established crime. I don’t know who’s responsible, but whoever is behind it should not take Rivers State for granted because we will fight back. “From what has happened now, I want to say that Rivers State is fully out. Anybody who is responsible for this attempted abduction of our daughter should know that enough is enough.

“They can’t treat her as a common criminal. I am sure that President Muhammadu Buhari is not aware of this. “Using the police to carry out abduction of citizens should not be encouraged. A similar incident had happened in this state before when they wanted to use the same style to abduct a serving Judge.”

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