Umahi blasts Sowore over viral video of woman accusing him of harassment, says matter under police probe

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed as “performative activism” a viral video circulated by activist and politician Omoyele Sowore, insisting that the incident captured in the footage relates to a matter already under investigation by the Nigeria Police Force.

Business Hallmark had earlier reported that in the video – also shared by public affairs commentator Ugo Egbujo – a woman identified as Mrs. Tracy Ohiri was seen charging toward the minister while being restrained.

Egbujo had alleged that Ohiri accused Umahi of sexual harassment and unlawful detention after she reportedly demanded payment for a job she claimed to have executed.

Responding in a press statement issued Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, Umahi said the video showed Sowore attempting to publicly confront him at the Force Headquarters in Abuja over allegations that have been in the public domain since last year.

According to the statement, the claims made by Ohiri — which include allegations of assault and unpaid campaign materials — have been repeatedly circulated on social media through videos and written posts.

The minister’s media office described the accuser’s accounts as “inconsistent, contradictory, and lacking coherence,” adding that this had been widely observed by members of the public who have followed the matter.

It further rejected suggestions that Umahi used law enforcement agencies to intimidate or harass the woman. The statement maintained that the police acted within their constitutional responsibilities after receiving a petition from the minister’s lawyer.

“Contrary to the misleading narrative being pushed by Sowore, the Honourable Minister did not deploy the police to settle any personal score,” the statement read.

It explained that following the petition, the police arrested Ohiri and invited the minister to provide his statement as part of standard investigative procedure.

The minister’s office accused Sowore of attempting to sensationalize what it described as a routine legal process by staging a confrontation at the police headquarters.

“Mr. Sowore’s attempt to dramatize this lawful process by staging a public spectacle is a familiar pattern of performative activism aimed at gaining attention rather than seeking truth,” the statement added.

According to Umahi’s team, the minister chose not to engage in any altercation and instead “calmly disengaged,” allowing the investigative process to continue.

The statement concluded that the matter remains under police investigation and that the facts established through due process would ultimately determine its outcome.