The ongoing political tensions in Rivers State took another dramatic turn on Friday, as Florence Nwaeke, wife of the former Head of Service, George Nwaeke, made a desperate plea for help over her husband’s sudden disappearance.
Mrs. Nwaeke, visibly distressed, told journalists that she was deeply concerned about her husband’s safety and had been unable to reach him.
Recounting the last conversation she had with him, she said, “When he got to Abuja, he called that he had landed. I said, ‘Thank God.’”
However, things took an unexpected turn later that evening when she began receiving calls and messages about an interview her husband had allegedly granted.
“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.’”
Confused and alarmed, she frantically tried to reach him, fearing he was being forced into making statements against his will.
“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?’”
Breaking down in tears, she pleaded for help from the public, saying, “Oh, Jesus, help me. Nigerians, help me. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble.”
Her distressing appeal came just hours after Mr. Nwaeke had appeared in an interview where he made serious allegations against Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. He accused the governor of aligning with Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed ahead of the 2027 presidential election and of supporting militant activities in the state.
In a separate video, Mrs. Nwaeke called on Governor Fubara to intervene and help ensure her husband’s safety.
“Governor, help me. My husband is in trouble,” she said, claiming he had been pressured into resigning.
Governor Fubara, however, dismissed Mr. Nwaeke’s claims, suggesting that he had been influenced or bribed to make false statements.
“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 stated on Friday.
To support his argument, the governor shared screenshots of alleged messages between Mr. Nwaeke and his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie. The messages appeared to show Mr. Nwaeke asking for financial assistance and expressing dissatisfaction with his N500,000 salary, which he claimd was insufficient.
As the political crisis in Rivers State continues to escalate, the controversy surrounding Mr. Nwaeke’s interview and his wife’s emotional plea have added another layer of uncertainty to an already tense situation.
