Okonjo-Iweala: My Mother was Abducted over Subsidy Claims

Below is what the Finance minister said while addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday regarding her 83 year old mother's abduction and subsequent release...

“I can’t give all the details because we don’t want to compromise ongoing investigations. But I can tell you one thing: my mother suffered a great deal during this ordeal. It was only the Almighty that rescued her from a situation that could very easily have ended tragically. Apart from the emotional trauma of being violently taken away from her family and kept incommunicado for five days in a strange environment, a woman of 83 years was left without food for five days.

“While she was in their custody, the kidnappers spent much of the time harassing her. They told her that I must get on the radio and television and announce my resignation.  When she asked why, they told her it was because I did not pay oil subsidy money.

“They also said I had blocked payment of money to certain components of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme.”

“These statements are, of course, not true. In the case of subsidy payments, we have been paying all marketers whose claims have been verified by the Aig-Imoukhuede Committee after going through the necessary processes.

“For marketers whose transactions are proven to be fraudulent, the position of the Goodluck Jonathan government is also clear: we cannot and we will not pay. We will not back down on this. We will continue to stand firm.”

“In the case of SURE-P, there is a totally different process that I have no control over. This is the right thing to do. And this, I believe is what the Nigerian people want.”

“This experience has strengthened my faith in the country. The outpouring of love from all over the country has been simply overwhelming.”