- Tracy Nicolas Ohiri claims Minister David Umahi owes her for goods supplied 12 years ago during his time in Ebonyi State.
- The entrepreneur alleges she was arrested and detained in Abuja after going public with her demands for payment.
- Ohiri claims the Minister turned hostile and used senior police officers to intimidate her after she rejected his romantic advances.
A Nigerian businesswoman, Tracy Nicolas Ohiri, has leveled serious allegations against the Minister of Works, David Umahi, accusing him of using the Nigerian Police Force to harass and detain her over a long-standing debt.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Ohiri, who was brought before a Magistrate Court in Wuse 6, Abuja, on Thursday, claimed that the Minister’s hostility toward her stems from her refusal to enter into a romantic relationship with him over a decade ago.
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The entrepreneur, visibly shaken but defiant, addressed journalists after her court appearance, demanding that the Minister settle the debt for goods and services she allegedly supplied directly to his residence in Abakaliki.
According to Ohiri, the transaction dates back 12 years to when Umahi was serving as the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State and preparing for his gubernatorial campaign.
She alleged that she was introduced to him through an engineer and was subsequently invited to produce promotional gift items for his electioneering efforts.
Ohiri claimed that she was encouraged to proceed with the production without upfront mobilization funds, leading her to exhaust her personal savings and even borrow money intended for her children’s school fees to fulfill the order.
The businesswoman further alleged that after she successfully delivered the truckload of promotional items to the Minister’s private residence, his attitude shifted.
She claimed that while she consistently asked for her payment, Umahi began making romantic advances toward her.
“While I’m asking for my payment, David is asking me out. I told him, ‘Sir, can you concentrate on paying me my money? Stop telling me about dating,'” she told reporters. Ohiri alleged that her rejection led to a threatening SMS from the Minister, in which he vowed to “teach her a lesson” for supposedly insulting him.
The situation escalated recently when Ohiri took to social media to call for public intervention and appeal to the President to prevail upon the Minister to settle the debt.
She claimed that in response to her public outcry, police officers were sent to her home to arrest her shortly after she dropped her children at school.
She further alleged that while in custody, she witnessed other detainees from Ebonyi State who were reportedly locked up on the Minister’s instructions.
During a confrontation at a police facility, Ohiri claimed that Umahi looked her in the eyes and denied ever meeting her, a claim she countered by presenting photos of them together in his former office.
Ohiri’s ordeal has sparked a conversation regarding the protection of small business owners and the alleged use of state apparatus for personal vendettas.
She lamented the state of justice in the country, suggesting that the “common man” is often exploited by the political class.
The businesswoman called on right-thinking Nigerians to stand for justice, emphasizing that her demand for payment now includes 12 years of interest.
As of the time of this report, Minister David Umahi has not issued a formal rebuttal to these specific allegations, though the police continue to process the case in court.
