There was a mild drama yesterday as Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike stormed the home of former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Gbene Joi Nunieh, to rescue her.
Armed policemen had besieged her residence on a day she was to travel to Abuja to testify before the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating alleged mismanagement of NDDC funds.
Nunieh and Niger Delta Affairs Minister Godswill Akpabio have been locked in a war of words over the mismanagement of the commission’s resources and alleged sexual harassment.
The policemen, who reportedly came in their dozens as early as 4 am, were said to have surrounded all parts of the house and attempted to gain entrance into the main building.
An eyewitness said the policemen banged on the gate repeatedly and later forced it open, but could not enter the house where Nunieh took refuge.
Wike, who had earlier warned against harming Nunieh, rushed to her residence and took her away in his official vehicle.
The governor was said to have taken Nunieh into protective custody and relocated her to the Government House in Port Harcourt.
A video clip of the incident shows Wike’s security detail escorting Nunieh into the governor’s car and the woman telling someone over the telephone that the governor had come for her.
The policemen, who took strategic positions in the compound, were also seen watching the incident.
Nunieh said over 15 policemen surrounded the house without a warrant of arrest.
Speaking with reporters at the Government House, she contended that the move was to stop her from appearing before the committee, adding that she was determined to defend herself.
The ex-MD said she was not scared of her life, noting that nobody could take a life they did not give to her.
According to her, Wike was under pressure to recant a statement he made concerning her safety.
She said: “I decided to come out and defend myself because Akpabio went to the National Assembly and tried to put some of the money on me.
‘The people at the gate are all armed. They are policemen. They didn’t provide any warrant of arrest. They banged at my gate but nobody opened the gate.
“They pushed the gate but I don’t know how it opened up. They are not inside the house. This is our country. I am not afraid.
“I will stand up for it and I will still go before the National Assembly no matter how long it takes. Stopping me today doesn’t mean anything. It is a sacrifice I have to pay so that this country will be better.
“I have been in this struggle for long. I don’t think anybody can take my life. It is not possible.
“I have reached out to the Chairman of the panel to tell him what’s going on that I might not be able to make it. I don’t think that they will have the audacity to break into my house. I am not an armed robber.
“The governor issued a statement and he was under pressure to recant what he said. But he said he would not do that. He said it is the position of the state government.
“They were up to 15. They were all over the compound surrounding the back and front. There is no need to escape. I am here.”
Wike said he intervened to save Nunieh from abduction.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paulinus Nsirim, he urged the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the incident.
He said it was expedient to probe why the policemen stormed her residence at odd hours rather than inviting her.
The governor said: “To storm her residence at such an unholy hour suggests some sinister motive that should not be tolerated.
“What has happened today (yesterday) 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 for 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 with the way things are going. They didn’t have a warrant of arrest. The State Commissioner of Police was 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 was not aware. He should investigate it.”
Wike said Rivers would defend Nunieh.
“I want to say that Rivers State is fully out. Anybody responsible for this attempted abduction of our daughter should know that enough is enough.
“They can’t treat her like a common criminal. I am sure that President Muhammadu Buhari is not aware of this.
“All the Niger Delta states should find out if any of their citizens have a hand in the unfortunate incident and call on such people to leave our daughter alone. She is no longer the Managing Director of NDDC.
“The way things are going now, it seems people want to destroy Rivers State and it is unacceptable.
“Using the police to carry out the 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”.

By Mike Odigwe