Director-General of World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, don recall how her investigation into alleged $2.4bn fuel subsidy fraud for Nigeria led to the kidnap of her mama. She talk about am for interview with Bloomberg’s Francine Lacqua.
Okonjo-Iweala explain say her office notice sharp increase for subsidy claims, so she start probe. She go meet the president, tell am say something dey happen, and ask whether dem fit audit the accounts. The president agree say make she go ahead. According to her, dem later find about $2.4bn worth of fraud, and dem refuse to pay.
Na after that she say dem kidnap her mama, Kamene Okonjo. The kidnappers demand say make she resign as Minister of Finance and leave the country before dem go release her mama. Okonjo-Iweala describe the five-day ordeal as one of the most painful periods of her life, and she say na the worst she ever experience.
She talk say dem hold her mama inside middle of forest, but one night her mama escape. Her mama still dey alive, and she don reach 96 years now. Okonjo-Iweala say fear paralise her at first, and she even think say she go resign. She add say the experience leave her with guilt wey she still carry.
“I never dreamt my parents could ever be touched in this way, that people would be that evil,” na wetin she talk. She also recall her father reaction: “We don’t give in to blackmail. You’ve got to carry on. You’ve got to go to work.”
Okonjo-Iweala serve as Minister of Finance under President Goodluck Jonathan. For December 2012, dem kidnap Kamene Okonjo from her home for Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State.
