COURT STOPS POLICE FROM ARRESTING FORMER NDDC MD, Dr. Nunieh

The High Court of Rivers State has ordered the police and other security agencies not to arrest or detain the former NDDC MD, Joi Nunieh,  pending determination of a case she has instituted to enforce her fundamental human right.

The court order, which was issued by the High Court Judge, E. N. Thompson, of the High Court of Rivers State in the Port Harcourt Judicial Division was signed by Patricia N. Victor-Nwoka, an assistant chief registrar (litigation).

The injunction came from suit number PHC/1128 FHR/2020, which is for enforcement of a fundamental human right, with Joi Nunieh as applicant and Godswill Akpabio (minister of Niger Delta Ministry) as the first respondent.

Other respondents listed in the order include the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, the Directorate of State Security (DSS), the Inspector-General of Police, and the Nigeria Police Force.

The order was sequel to a suit filed by the applicant following the invasion of her home by security operatives few orders. The invasion was allegedly at the behest of Akpabio, who had been engaged in a war of words and a slew of allegations with Nunieh.

The motion was moved by Sylvester Adaka on behalf of Nunieh while there was no response from the respondents.

The order asked Akpabio and the security chiefs not to arrest, detain or harass Nunieh until the case is heard on July 27, 2020. The order also asked the security agents at her house to vacate.

The matter was adjourned to July 27, 2020, for hearing.

Nunieh’s home on Macaulay Street in Old GRA in Port Harcourt was invaded in the early hours of Thursday by some 50 policemen said to come from the IG Unit and Mopol in Port Harcourt to arrest Nunieh.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had stopped the arrest of Nunieh when law enforcement arrived to affect her arrest. He had described the action as illegitimate, as the arresting officers had no warrant of arrest. 

Wike then moved the former Managing Director of the Niger-Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Joy Nunieh out of her residence to Government House Port Harcourt. 

In a dramatic twist, the Rivers Police spokesman, Nnamdi Omoni, said the move to arrest Nunieh was legitimate, with the blessing of the Inspector General of Police, but failed to disclose her crime.