Ms. Joy has been in a running battle with Senator Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs over alledged corruption and mismanagement of funds.
However a group of Policemen who were said to have been positioned in Rivers state by the Force Headquarters, Abuja stormed Ms.Joy Nunieh( Ex- NDDC, MD)’s house in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in abid to arrest her in the early hours of yesterday.
According to Ms Joy the Policemen arrived at her house at about 4am in a bid to arrest her and forcefully tried to gain entrance into the main building when she called on the Governor of the State , Wike after she realised the policemen didnt have any warrant of arrest.
Wike who had earlier warned against harm coming to Nunieh quickly rushed to her house and took her out of her residence while urging the policemen to go away.
After her rescue by Wike she said:
“Early this morning around 4 am, I learnt that people were around my gate. I made some calls and I tried to reach the state governor because he told me that if I see any strange movement that I should alert him because he had issued a statement.
“I tried to reach him but his phones were off. Then, I called some people and they said they may not be real policemen, so I should stay. They said they came to take me away and I said for what? So, I asked if they have a warrant of arrest and they said no warrant of arrest. So, I left it.
“At 6 a.m., they broke the gate. Then, Senator Magnus Abe now called me and said he has reached the Commissioner of Police; he said he doesn’t know anything about it. The CP (Commissioner of Police) called me, I sent him my address and he came. They told me the CP was downstairs, but the CP wasn’t down. I think it was the Deputy Commissioner of Police. So, I opened the door and they wanted to grab me; I now pushed back the door, locked it, and went upstairs. I got through to my governor. They tried to break the backdoor, it is a security door and they kept hitting it for over one hour but they couldn’t get access.
”So, my governor came and asked them for the warrant of arrest and why couldn’t they invite me to the police station, as I would have come, instead of coming to take a woman like a common criminal. The governor took me in his car and I am here ‘refugeeing’ in Government House.”
“I want to thank His Excellency for keeping to his word that nothing should happen to the daughter of Rivers State. So, here I am in the Government House. I am supposed to be going today to Abuja to make my submissions before the House of Representatives Committee. I am sure it is about that.”
“The man that harassed me is at home; the man who stole the money is at home; the man who stole government files is at home; the man who took the money is at home; the man who said I should go and take an oath is at home. It is a criminal offense, it is life imprisonment to take oaths, to even offer me an oath is liable.”
“I am sure my lawyers will be working on my next step as we speak. I don’t think that Akpabio can kill me; definitely, he can’t.
But, why do people think that he has a monopoly on violence? I think Akpabio wanted to stop me from giving my submissions before the House of Representatives Committee today. He succeeded but I am sure the House of Representatives will give me another date. Nigerians will hear more.”
Wike’s response to the incident states that the normal thing to do is to invite her to answer any allegation and not to come at such an ungodly hour to arrest which shows theres something fishy.
He said:
“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 way 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.”
The governor 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 Nunieh.”
“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 like a common criminal. I am sure that President Muhammadu Buhari is not aware of this.”
