MINISTER’S ‘VICTIM’ GRANTED BAIL AS POLICE PROTEST
By Our Political Correspondent
A NIGERIAN Minister is at the center of a “sex for contracts” firestorm tonight after a court graciously freed a female contractor he allegedly tried to throw behind bars.
Tracy Nicolas Ohiri walked free from an Abuja Magistrate Court yesterday despite a desperate, high-stakes attempt by the Nigeria Police Force to keep her locked up.
The court ruling is a massive blow to Dave Umahi, Nigeria’s powerful Minister of Works, who stands accused of using the police to intimidate a woman he reportedly owes a staggering N304 million (£130,000).
The drama began when Ms. Ohiri claimed she supplied building materials worth a whopping N395 million to the Minister. But instead of a bank transfer, she claims she was met with a series of unwanted “sexual advances.”
In a bombshell statement, Ms. Ohiri alleged:
”He refuses to pay the N304 million debt because I rejected his sexual advances. I did the work, I supplied the materials, and now I’m being treated like the criminal.”
Observers were left stunned as the Nigeria Police Force launched a “fervent protest” against Ms. Ohiri’s release.
The force made a dramatic application to remand her in custody—a move legal experts suggest was a heavy-handed attempt to silence the whistleblower.
However, the Magistrate saw through the smoke and mirrors, granting Ms. Ohiri bail and dealing a direct snub to the authorities.
David Umahi is a heavyweight in Nigerian politics. Currently serving as the Minister of Works under President Bola Tinubu, he is the former Governor of Ebonyi State.
He is known for his “tough guy” persona and his oversight of massive infrastructure projects across the country.
The dispute centers on a massive discrepancy in a private business deal. While N395 million worth of materials were allegedly supplied, Ms. Ohiri claims N304 million remains unpaid.
In Nigeria, it is not uncommon for powerful political figures to be accused of using the police (NPF) to settle private civil debts or to suppress allegations of misconduct.
The police’s attempt to use a “remand warrant” is a controversial but frequent tactic in Nigeria.
It allows authorities to keep a suspect in prison without a formal trial. By granting bail, the court has effectively signaled that the police’s “emergency” need to keep her jailed did not hold water.
The contract was executed twelve years ago when Umahi was campaigning to be governor of Ebonyi State
“He called me to prepare campaign materials for his campaign”, Nicolas Tracy Ohiri said in court and that the Minister has refused to pay her up till now because she refused to date him and decided to silent her using the Nigeria Police Force.