The National Council of Women Societies has urged the Federal Government to protect Joi Nunieh from all forms of physical and emotional harassment while she faces probe.
Nunieh is a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
Laraba Shoda, the National President of NCWS, made the call in a statement in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Nunieh is currently facing investigation into an alleged financial recklessness of N22.6 billion said to have been perpetrated under her stewardship at the NDDC.
According to Shoda, Nunieh should be allowed to face the Senate Committee handling the probe to defend herself without intimidation.
She added: “All forms of harassment and intimidations should stop. We are not against her being probed but what we don’t want is for her to be harassed in any way.
“The Senate Committee should be allowed to do proper investigations into the alleged misappropriation of funds and if she is found guilty, the law should take its cause.”
Shoda also commended Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for rescuing Nunieh and freeing her from the supposed “house arrest” by suspected armed policemen.
She said: “We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari, having constituted a committee to end all forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV), to protect Nunieh and allow her face the probe in peace.
“It is bad enough that she is undergoing a probe but an harassment will be too much for her to bear.
“We should please understand that she is a woman and needs our protection.”
