Following the failed attempt to arrest the former Managing Director of NDDC, Joy Nunieh on Thursday, the Rivers State Police Command has issued a statement declaring that the police officers were on ‘legitimate duty’ and not ‘illegal task’ as reported.
It would be recalled that police laid siege at Nunieh’s house in Port Harcourt on Thursday morning in the bid to arrest her but was later rescued by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Shortly after his intervention, Wike in an interview alleged that the officers could not show a warrant for her arrest neither was the police hierarchy aware of their presence.
Rivers Police Command has however countered this in a statement released by SP Nnamdi Omoni, the Public Relations Officer, saying the operatives were on legitimate duty.
Omoni revealed that the personnel at Nunieh’s residence were from the IGP Monitoring Team in Abuja and were in Port Harcourt on official assignment.
The statement added that before the officers proceeded to her residence, they observed due protocols and requisite standard operating procedures.
These protocols included going through the processes of arriving at the Headquarters with their Investigation Activities duly signed and approved by the Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph Mukan.
The statement reads;
The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to an Online Publication, credited to Vanguardngr.com, where it was erroneously reported that ‘the MOPOL presence at the residence of Joi Nunieh was not the directive of the Command.
Ordinarily, such a phantom report should have been ignored but due to the potential danger inherent in keeping silent, the Command is minded to react and state the true position as follows: That they went to her (Nunieh’s) residence with Mobile Policemen, suggesting of course that they were there on official duty and not illegal duty as speculated.
That, the reference indicating that the Officers were there without the directive of the CP nor the IGP is preposterous and most unfortunate, hence should be discountenanced and disregarded.
