The Rivers state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Wukan, says he was duly aware of the attempted arrest of the former NDDC Managing Director, Joi Nunieh, at her Port Harcourt home on Thursday, July 16.
Recall that Nunieh who is in a running battle with the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio who she has accused of corruption, was to appear before the House of Representatives committee investigating the activities of the NDDC on Thursday, July 17. She was to fly from Port Harcourt to Abuja that day but early in the morning, some police officers stormed her home with the intent to arrest her.
In an interview she had with newsmen, Nunieh said she contacted the state Commissioner of Police and he told her he wasn’t aware of the operation.
The state governor, Nyesom Wike, who came to rescue her and took her out of the premises, also said in a press conference that he contacted the state Commissioner of Police who told him he wasn’t aware of the operation.
However, in an interview with some newsmen today July 17, the state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Wukan, said he was duly aware of the operation.
”’It was never an illegal duty. It was a legitimate duty from the IG monitoring unit of which we are aware of their presence here.
What people don’t seem to understand is that it is not in every situation that you need a warrant of arrest. There are situations that you can arrest without warrant. There are situations that you can arrest without warrant and then as a followup, that one can be issued. So the fact that they do not have a warrant of arrest at that moment does not make the whole exercise an illegality. It is very legitimate. It is in the confine of the constitution” he said
Reacting to Governor Wike’s claim that he called him and he said he wasn’t aware of the operation, Wukan said
We are aware. They came here and we endorsed their investigation activities. Nobody tried to reach me in respect of that. Ordinarily if they say I am not aware, did they try to find out from me whether I am aware or not? I endorsed their investigation activity. We were aware of their presence here.
Nobody said he should not protect his citizen but everything should be done within the confine of the law. I am the chief law enforcement officer of the command so if you rescue your citizen, we expect you to turn her over to the police who are in a better position to protect her.
I still believe he is going to turn her over because the exercise was legitimate, was within the confine of the law”
Wukan added
”I have gotten in touch with him and advised him to turn her over”
