‘I Am Safe’, Rivers Ex-HoS Speaks From Abuja

Rivers State’s former Head of Service, George Nwaeke has assured the public that he is safe and currently lodging at the Transcorp Hilton hotel in Abuja.

His clarification comes following an outcry by his wife, Florence, late Friday, that she did not know the whereabouts of her husband after he resigned from service.

Nwaeke’s distraught wife told journalists she was afraid for her husband’s life and had no idea where he was.

“When he got to Abuja, he called that he had landed. I said, ‘Thank God’,” she said.

“The next thing I saw this night: people were calling me and said he got an interview. I said, ‘What interview? Interview for what?’ Not until I saw things flying on the internet that he granted an interview. What happened? I said, ‘That is not my husband. That is not my husband.’

“So I sent him a message. I said, ‘Are you under duress?’ I sent him a message. I said, ‘Have they kidnapped you? Talk to me now. Why are you not talking to me?’ This is the message I sent to him when I saw his interview online.

“Oh, Jesus, help me. Nigerians, help me. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. Look at the message I sent to him. See the message I sent to him. I said, ‘Daddy, why? Were you in hostage?’ I said, ‘Why didn’t you talk to me?’ These are the messages I sent to him, but he didn’t reply to me. His numbers are not going through. Nigerians, help me! Nigerians, help me!”

However, in a recorded video sent in by our correspondent on Saturday morning, Nwaeke said he is currently in Abuja to turn himself in to authorities.

“Good morning, gentlemen of the press. My name is Francis Nwaeke and I am in Transcorp in Abuja. I came in here this morning to meet with security agencies to report myself and the things happening in the state that are making me feel sick.

“Actually, I held the position of Head of Service until Monday, at which point I resigned due to ongoing issues.” After granting a press interview, I recently came across a video of me being held captive and fed false information. They told her I had been kidnapped.

“I want to clear this up. I was not kidnapped. I am in Abuja. This is the Transcorp Hotel where I am lodging. They falsely informed her that I was kidnapped, which made her cry, and now they are coercing her to say various things.

“I want to put this straight. I am the head of service, and I am oath. My wife is unaware of what happens in my office. I don’t discuss anything with her. We discuss only domestic and social matters.

Therefore, the script they wrote for her is deemed invalid. I want to clarify that I am safe. I am fine. By tomorrow morning, I intend to go to the security agencies to report myself.

“My coming to Abuja was based on the fact that Abuja is where the headquarters of security agencies are housed. I came here, and I think I a safe here to make this report, and they can investigate. I am under oath, and if I divulge any information, I will be held accountable. I am reporting exactly what I know. I expressed everything that was on my mind. And I want to reassure myself that everything I said is true.

Nwaeke had levelled several allegations against the Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Among other things, he accused the governor of planning to support Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed in the 2027 presidential election and also meeting with and encouraging militants to carry out attacks on oil facilities and other assets.

In response to Nwaeke’s claims, Governor Fubara speculated that he might have received payment or coercion to make the “false” allegations against him.

“The truth is that Dr Nwaeke has been compromised, and whatever he is saying is only aimed at fulfilling his promise to those who may have paid or coerced him to lie against me,” Fubara said in a statement he issued late Friday.

The governor backed his position with screenshots of chats said to have been between Mr Nwaeke and his Chief of Staff, Ederson Ehie.