NDDC Corruption Saga: Delta publisher accuses IMC, Akpabio of intimidation

By Ovasa Ogaga,

The Publisher/Editor-in-chief, Daily Watch has raised alarm over an alleged clandestine move by Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Senator Godwill Akpabio who is the supervising minister of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to intimidate him over his publications on the corruption scandal rocking in NDDC.

 

He alleged that the minster is plotting to use men of Nigerian Police Force and the office of the Inspector General Police (IGP) to abduct him and do whatever thing they were instructed to do to him in a bid to silence over his Daily Watch exposure of the monumental fraud in NDDC running to billions of naira.

 

Recall that some policemen allegedly attached to the office of IGP from Abuja stormed the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Warri Correspondent Chapel, in Delta State on Tuesday in a commando-style and abducted Mr Matthew Omonigho and when other Journalists went to enquired why he was arrested, four of them were also detained at the Police Area Commander office, Warri.

 

The Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief of Daily Watch said that his colleague was told that the Police Special squad sent from Abuja was sent to arrest him and when they could not get hold of him, they picked other journalists in order to reach him.

 

According to Mr Cletus Opukeme, in a press statement made available to this medium said: “If Senator Godswill Akpabio or any other person feels aggrieved by our published stories,  they know the right option which is to seek for redress as the court is there for them to sue Daily Watch publisher,  and allow the judiciary to determine our publication whether it is libellous and defamatory.

 

“It is not the place of DSS, the IGP boys or any other security operatives to be used to intimidate Daily Watch over our genuine investigations which first exposed the large scale of financial misappropriation in NDDC.

 

“Senator Akpabio has turned NDDC to a cash cow looting the commonwealth of the people of Niger Delta and intimidation or arrest by IGP Boys /DSS cannot frighten us from doing what we know how to do best by informing the public the right information”.

 

“The invasion of Warri NUJ office by the crooked IGP Team to arrest a journalist is an embarrassment to democracy in the country as journalists have freedom of expression enshrined on the nation’s constitution”.

 

“If Akpabio is aggrieved by our publications for exposing his massive looting, he should go to court and stop intimidating me with the police and ex-militants to gag the press from doing our Constitutional duties”.

 

“They said IGP squad called one of the arrested journalists to direct them to Cletus Opukeme’s residence who identified himself as one Reuben with mobile phone number:08116912068  quoting the reporter ”One Mr Reuben just called now requesting to know if  I have been able to see Cletus”.

 

“I told him that he only called me this morning wherein I asked him to be at the Area Command with me in solidarity and he refused. Again, he asked if I know any link with which they could get him and I said no. He later cut the call”.

 

“Therefore, I am calling the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu to hold Niger Delta minister Godswill Akpabio and the members of the NDDC Interim management committee responsible, if anything happens to my life and my members of my immediate family”.

 

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