…denies kidnapping claims, say wife does not speak for him

By Gloria Ikibah

The immediate past Head of Service of Rivers State, Dr. George Nweke, has urged the Federal Government to establish an independent investigative panel in the state.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Nweke questioned why, more than a year after the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, no inquiry had been initiated.

Addressing recent reports, he also clarified that he was not kidnapped, as claimed in the media, and stated that his wife does not speak on his behalf.

He said: You will recall that yesterday I addressed the press. After some hours of addressing the press, I saw a video of my wife trending online. That I was kidnapped and that I made my statement under duress. I’ve already debunked that.

“My wife cannot speak for me on civil service matters when I’m still healthy and mentally very fit. Let me say it again. I was not kidnapped.

“Thank God you heard her when she said that I flew from Port Harcourt to Abuja. I flew with Ebola Air. At least no kidnapper can carry me on a flight.

“And I know probably, and I believe, that she would have been misinformed. As head of my family, I apologize sincerely to the public on her behalf. Maybe I also think that she did that so that she would escape any harm.

“But you know they were already hunting for me. So they went and frightened her. She must have done that also to secure herself.

“I’ve also spoken to my wife, who I can tell you that I am her Chief Security Officer.

“I have directed her to meet me where I am. Or where I will meet her up in Port Harcourt soon. After I’m done with the State and Security Office in Port Harcourt, I’ll meet her soon.

“I also listened to the suspended governor’s reaction to my press statement. I was surprised that he never debunked my allegations of bringing down the assembly, which was the main subject matter. Rather, he was talking about other issues.

“The big question is this, and I want you to reason. This is over one year that the assembly was brought down. Yet, no panel of inquiry was set up.

“And there has not been any report on that incident from the state government until date. At least, until the time I can remember. Maybe yesterday.

“I don’t know if today. Not even a police investigation. I call on the federal government to set up an independent investigation team.

“The truth, which is known on the lips of every person that’s on the streets of Port Harcourt anyway, will now be made formal.

“At this point, I know and it’s understandable that I could be making some feeble denial of not having told me these things. But this doesn’t change the facts. And all I wish to do is to tell the public the truth.

“What is done with the truth is for the state and for the growth of our nation. Lastly, I want to state here that I’m not a politician. I’m a career civil servant”.

When ask as to what information he has on the looting of public funds in Rivers State, Dr. Nweke said he was waiting for the antigraft agency to invite him, then he will be able to speak on such sensitive matters.

“Some are sensitive or more sensitive than this. I will give details to the proper authorities when required of me. The level of stealing of public funds and assets witnessed in the last two years is mind-boggling and never ever experienced in the history of the state.

“As we also had the highest allocation ever during this period. I’ve also heard people saying that I have been compromised. If at all I could be compromised, then it should have been the Governor, who is my benefactor, who actually appointed me as Head of Service of River State.

“I want to tell you here that I never compromised. While I was in the system, why would it be now that I’ve compromised myself? Now that I’ve left the system, finally. What was the reason of going to my house to harass my wife in the name of interviewing her instead of calling me for a reaction? Why did they go to harass my wife? This is so personal to me because they brought my wife to public disgrace”, he asserted.

He therefore called on citizens of Rivers not to destroy the peace in the state for peanuts but condemn what is bad.

“Let me also advise my fellow citizens of River State that they should not destroy our state for peanuts. Let me advise politicians, please, don’t destroy your state for peanuts. Condemn what is bad.

“Evil is evil. And bringing down a parliament is evil. Targeting national assets for destruction is evil.

“Intentionally whipping up tribal sectional settlements is evil. We must condemn this.

“I’m a beneficiary of the government of River State. I cannot, therefore, watch this state, which I have benefited from, to be destroyed by politicians for their personal ego. I cannot also give all my evidences on the media.

“I want to reiterate here that I love my state. This state gave me the opportunity to grow from level zero to the enviable position of Head of Service. It cannot be brought down this way.

“It makes me to cry. This state cannot be destroyed this way. The state that was once the pride of the whole nation cannot be turned into dustbin just overnight.

Nweke also called on President Bola Tinubu and the security agencies to come and save the state from destruction.

“For justice. And for good governance. Finally, to Mr. President and the security agencies.

“I beg you. Don’t sweep this under the carpet. Please.

“Don’t sweep this under the carpet. Come and save River State from destruction. Governor Similayi Fubara  and his infidel cohorts have invested much in destroying River State.

“Let it stop now. Let me say here that this may be the last conference I will grant on this matter. As I am not financially buoyant to continue on this trajectory.

“The rest that I will do will be with the security agencies. Any other press granted now by any other person around me should please be disregarded. These are serious issues that should not be discussed much on the media”, the former HoS stated.

..insists the last time he spoke to Dr Nwaeke was in November 2023

Former colleague of Rivers ex-HoS, Prof Henry Ogiri has rubbished viral video clip of Dr George Nwaeke’s wife Mrs Florence Nwaeke alleging he invited him to Abuja.

Recall that a viral video clip had gone viral indicating that Dr George Nwaeke who opened a can of worms on suspended Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara was missing.

Also countering this position, Dr Nwaeke on Saturday at a press briefing asked his wife to relax his mind that he’s safe in Abuja.

Read Prof Ogiri’s statement culled from his FB page.

“Early this morning, the 29th of March 2025, my attention was drawn to a viral social media video in which the wife of the recently resigned Head of Service of Rivers State Government alleged that her husband is missing and may have been held hostage.

“Of note is the fact that the woman in the viral video was accusing me of putting a call from Abuja across to her husband and had asked that the husband come over to Abuja so can discuss some certain matters. She even alleged that I offered to pay for the flight ticket of the husband. (Who is supposed to pay for whose ticket? ).

“More worrying is the fact that the woman is asking her interviewers to tell Ogiri from Abua to bring her husband back to her. Nothing can be further from the truth.

“Let me state clearly that:

1. That was a poorly rehearsed theatrics
2. While Dr George Nwaeke is my friend and a professional colleague, we have only spoken once since I left the Rivers State cabinet in November 2023. I think that should be late last year or early this year.
3. I came to PH from Abuja on the 28th of February 2025 (the date the Supreme Court gave judgment on Rivers State) and haven’t travelled out of Rivers State till date. I have been working at our PH office while also preparing for the burial of my foster father, which took place last Saturday, 22nd of March 2025.
4. I haven’t spoken with Dr George Nwaeke since the Supreme Court judgment. And if this allegation was from Dr. George Nwaeke himself, then I would have viewed this from a different perspective.
However, thank God telephone service providers are able to provide call logs as well as conversations thereon. And airlines are also able to provide evidence to contradict my claim of haven’t travelled out of Rivers State in the last one month.
5. While we await to see how the unfolding drama and tissue of lies play out, I urge my relatives, friends, supporters, associates, leaders, and the ge

By Gloria Ikibah

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

His clarifications come on the heels of 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 saying he granted 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 was in Abuja to turn himself in to authorities.

“Good morning, gentlemen of the press. My name is Francis Nwaeke. 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 was head of service until Monday, and I resigned because of things that are happening. After the press interview I granted, I just saw a video of me trending where they went to hold her and feed her with all kinds of fallacies. Telling her I have been kidnapped.

want to clear this up. I was not kidnapped. I am in Abuja. This is the Transcorp Hotel where I am lodging. They told her I was kidnapped, and she was crying, and they are making her say all sorts of things.

“I want to put this straight. I am [was] the head of service, and I am on oath. My wife does not know anything that happens [happened] in my office. I don’t [didn’t] discuss anything with her. We discuss [discussed] only domestic and social matters.

‘So the script that they wrote for her is null and void. I want to clear the air 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 am safe here to make this report, and they can investigate. I am on oath…. But I am reporting exactly what I know. I said everything from my mind. And I want to reassure 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.

Meanwhile, Governor Fubara, in response to Nwaeke’s claims, suggested he may have been paid or coerced to have made the “false” claims 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. [The Witness]