"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."
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has explained why he intervened in the alleged police invasion of the residence of a former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Joy Nunieh.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communication in the state, Paulinus Nsirim, the governor said under a civilized society, the proper thing to do was to invite her to answer to any allegation.
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 unfortunate and I cry for this country concerning the way things are going. They didn't have a warrant of arrest but would stormed 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.”
Wike 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.
He added, "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.
"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 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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