In a press statement issued Tuesday, the Minister’s spokesman, Francis Nwaze, said the video sought to distort a routine law enforcement process into what it described as a staged spectacle.
According to the statement, the matter referenced in the video stems from allegations made last year by Mrs Tracy Ohiri, bordering on claims of assault and unpaid campaign-related materials.
The Minister’s office noted that the allegations have remained in the public domain for months through social media posts and video publications.
The Media Office maintained that the claims are already under investigation and emphasized that the Minister neither instigated nor manipulated security agencies for personal purposes.
“The Nigeria Police Force acted within its constitutional responsibility to maintain law and order and investigate complaints brought before it,” the statement read.
It clarified that a petition had been submitted through the Minister’s legal representatives, prompting standard investigative procedures. As part of that process, the police invited relevant parties including the Minister to provide statements.
The Minister’s camp rejected suggestions that the police were deployed to “settle personal scores,” insisting that the invitation extended to the Minister was in line with established procedure and not evidence of preferential treatment.
The statement further criticised what it described as a pattern of “performative activism,” alleging that the viral recording was an attempt to dramatise ongoing legal processes for public consumption rather than allow institutions to function independently.
Observers note that public confrontations involving political office holders and activists have increasingly played out on social media platforms, often amplifying narratives before investigative bodies conclude their work.
However, the Minister’s office stressed that institutional mechanisms not viral videos remain the appropriate avenue for resolving disputes.
“As it stands, the matter is under police investigation, where facts not online theatrics will determine the outcome,” the statement added.
Reaffirming the Minister’s position, the Media Office said Umahi remains committed to due process, transparency, and the uninterrupted execution of federal infrastructure projects across the country.
The statement concluded that the Minister would not be drawn into public altercations that could undermine ongoing investigations or distract from his official responsibilities.
