The political unrest in Rivers State has taken a dramatic turn as Florence Nwaeke, wife of former Head of Service Dr. George Nwaeke, has raised alarm over her husband’s sudden disappearance, fearing he may have been kidnapped. Her emotional plea comes just hours after he made damning allegations against suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, Florence recounted her growing fears. “When he got to Abuja, he called to say he had landed. I said, ‘Thank God.’ But later, I saw an interview he granted online, and something was wrong,” she said. “That is not my husband. Nigerians, help me! My husband is in trouble.” She revealed that after sending frantic messages asking if he was under duress, all contact was lost. “His numbers are not going through,” she cried out.
The alarm over Dr. Nwaeke’s whereabouts comes amid his explosive claims that Governor Fubara orchestrated the 2023 bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly to prevent impeachment.
“I want to tell Rivers people today that the Assembly complex was brought down by Edison Ehie under Fubara’s instructions,” Nwaeke alleged, claiming he witnessed a bag of money being handed over to execute the act. He further accused the governor of plotting to leverage control over oil facilities in Rivers and Bayelsa States to influence national politics, including support for Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed’s 2027 presidential bid.
Dr. Nwaeke also claimed that Fubara had been funding militant groups and bribing the Labour Union to secure loyalty, adding to concerns over the governor’s leadership.
In a swift rebuttal, Fubara dismissed the allegations, stating that Nwaeke had been compromised. “The truth is that Dr. Nwaeke has been coerced to lie against me,” Fubara said, releasing alleged chat screenshots of Nwaeke requesting financial assistance from Chief of Staff Edison Ehie.
As the controversy unfolds, Florence’s distress call has heightened concerns over her husband’s fate. “Governor, help me. My husband is in trouble,” she pleaded. Her fears and the broader political crisis have sparked urgent calls for an investigation.
With no official statement yet from the Rivers State government regarding Nwaeke’s disappearance, tensions in the state continue to rise.