Biggest Single Case of Looting N3.6 Billion In NDDC Revealed, Youths Demands public Prosecution of looters

Biggest Single Case of Looting N3.6 Billion In NDDC Revealed, Youths Demand public Prosecution of looters 

NDDC’s director of Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili, in Abuja said, “Our records show that Senator Nwaoboshi used 11 front companies (owned or traceable to him) to secure a contract of N3.6 billion in September 2016, in what is perhaps the biggest single case of looting of the commission’s resources.

“The said companies/business names are: Noan Integrated Services; De Towers Constructions & Allied Services Ltd; Franstine Nigeria Enterprises; Edrihide Company; Isumabe U.K. Global; Benchmark Construction & Allied Services Ltd; Millstone Allied Builders Ltd.; Nelpat Nigeria Company; Agh-Rown Ventures; Edendoma Stars International, and Antlers Construction and Allied Works Ltd.”

Odili further alleged: “The inventory records show that these items were supplied and received on Senator Nwaoboshi’s business premises and warehouse. Meanwhile, the contracts were awarded to him.” He equally claimed that all supply agreements were signed by one person, “Mr. Agbamuche Nelson, traceable to Senator Nwaoboshi.”

According to the letter,  Akpabio listed Senator Peter Nwaoboshi who chairs the committee on Niger Delta Affairs against 53 projects which included, Emergency Repairs of Asue Street, Owa Phase 2, Emergency Repairs of ldumuogbe Road via Ojemaye, Emergency Repairs of Otolokpo College Road, Otololkpo, and Emergency Repairs of Police lshu Ani Ukwu Road, Issele Uku

“They also included Emergency Repairs of old Sapele Agbor Road, Obiaruku, Emergency Repairs of Ehwerhe Obada Road Agbarho Road, Emergency Repairs of Hon. Ifeanyi Eboigbe Street Boji Boji Owa/Goodwill Street, Owa Alero, and Emergency Repairs of Ahiama Okwu to Obuocha Okwu among others.

“Also the Minister listed Nicholas Mutu’s name against 74 projects which included various emergency road projects in Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayela, and  Rivers states.

“Other lawmakers that Akpabio listed projects against are, Senator Mathew Urhoghide (6), James Manager (6), Sam Anyanwu (19),  and others simply identified as Ondo and Edo reps

Daily Sun has gathered, that  Omo-Agege, who is believed to be main arrowhead of the probe, is allegedly pained that his candidate who was screened by the Senate as the substantive managing director of the NDDC, was dumped by President Muhammadu Buhari and Akpabio has covertly taken over the control of the intervention agency.

It is also unclear if anything significant will come from the probe, as many pundits are already doubtful that it may just be a ploy to offer a soft landing for embattled senators by the leadership of the upper legislative chamber.

The man at the centre of the controversy and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, had last Monday, when he appeared before the House of Representatives Ad-hoc committee investigating alleged financial recklessness, claimed that over 60 per cent of contracts in the NDDC, were given to members of the National Assembly.

Already, the National Youth Council of Nigeria has reacted to the development. Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the President of the Council, Solomon Adodo, while condemning Gbajabiamila’s alleged refusal to reel out names of indicted lawmakers, said: “Mr Speaker did not do us justice when he did not disclose to the National Assembly that the list of the beneficiaries he demanded had been disclosed and attached to the letter sent to him.

“Gbajabiamila’s decision to cover up his colleagues is unfair to the fight against corruption, quest for transparency, and to the commonwealth of our nation. We therefore urge Mr Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, to resign for covering up for a set of people who had erred and breached the rules of contract.

“All the National Assembly members who benefitted from the contracts without executing them should be prosecuted to serve as deterrent to those who may want to follow a similar path.

“It is a clear case of organised crime to have individuals who benefitted from illegality now rising to probe the fact that their illegality is being exposed. We call on all the anti graft agencies and security agencies to, in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari, immediately proceed and go ahead with their investigation of the matter.”