PORT HARCOURT (SundiataPost) – Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has rescued the embattled ex-boss of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Joi Nunieh from security men, who stormed her residence in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital in the early hours of Thursday (today).
This is a new twist to the raging controversy between Nunieh and Senator Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
She had accused the minister of sexually harassing her, an accusation the minister has denied.
Akpabio also accused her of insubordination.
The security men, numbering 15, banged on the gates and took over over the front and rear entrances to her house.
She was locked up in the house and had to call the House Committee chairman probing the NDDC Interim Management Committee (IMC) to inform him because she was billed to testify at the committee’s hearing in Abuja today (Thursday). The committee is probing the alleged mismanagement of N81bn in NDDC.
According to her “This is definitely the handiwork of those who don’t want me to tell the truth about what is going on at the NDDC. My Governor, Wike, says they have tried to pressure him to retract the statement from the state government, warning that I should not be harmed but he has refused. The minister (Akpabio) thinks he can intimidate me with police but I will not be intimidated. He is afraid that I have exposed the fact that there is no forensic audit going on at the NDDC. Yesterday, the BPP appeared before the Committee and said they were deceived into issuing a certificate of’no objection’ by Akpabio who told them that the 2020 budget had been passed. No matter how long they take I will give my testimony.”
Speaking later in an interview with Arise News this morning, Nunieh said the security men stormed her house and told her that they came to arrest her. According to her, when she asked them for warrant of arrest they said they didn’t have.
She then called the State police Commissioner, who according to her, said he was not aware of the operation.
She then called Governor Wike, who immediately drove to her residence, rescued her and took her to the Government House, Port Harcourt.
However, when asked if she was going to Abuja to testify, she said those who administered oath on her were still walking free and also those accused of embezzling NDDC money were still walking free.
Nunieh is currently taking refuge at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt.
