By our reporter| A former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Nsima Ekere was on Wednesday arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ekere, the MD of NDDC between 2017 and 2018, is reportedly undergoing interrogation over allegations of N47 billion fraud.
The Akwa Ibom state APC governorship candidate in the 2019 election reportedly turned himself in at the agency’s office in Lagos state following an invitation from the anti-graft agency.
The circumstances leading to the former NDDC MD’s invitation by the commission is said to be linked to him allegedly benefitting from contract funds from projects dating back to 2017.
President Muhammadu Buhari, two years ago ordered a forensic audit of the NDDC’s operations from 2001 to 2019.
While receiving the audit report, Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, said the federal government was concerned about the way funds have been spent on the region, adding that “approximately N6 trillion” was given to the commission within the period under review.
It is, however, not yet clear if Ekere’s case with the EFCC is linked to the NDDC audit.
Ekere’s arrest comes hours after Patricia Etteh, a former speaker of the house of representatives, was detained by the anti-graft agency over allegations involving N130 million fraud.
The commission had two days earlier, arrested Ahmed Idris, accountant-general of the federation, over alleged N80 billion fraud.
Leave a Reply