Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has explained why he stopped the police from arresting the Immediate Past Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), Dr. Joi Nunieh from her home.
Wike, who described attempt to arrest Nunieh in her home in the early hours of Thursday as a disgrace, said police would not be used as a tool for intimidation in Rivers State.
In a statement by Paulinus Nsirim, Rivers State Commissioner of Information, on Thursday, Wike said that using the police to carry out abduction of citizens should not be encouraged.
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He stated, “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.
“They didn’t have a warrant of arrest, but would storm somebody’s house, in fact, the State Commissioner of Police is not aware.
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“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”.
Wike who said he would not allow Nunieh be treated as a common criminal also noted that he would also not support her if there were allegations of crime against her, adding that Rivers State should not be taking for granted.
“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.
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“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.”
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Nunieh, who said she was to appear before the House of Representatives in Abuja on Thursday to make submissions to the panel probing the mismanagement of N40bn in the NDDC, has also narrated how armed policemen came about 4am, and attempted to break into her home to arrest her.
