Alleged N6.25bn fraud: Senate issues warrant of arrest on NDDC boss

For ignoring its summon four consecutive times, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, on Monday, issued a warrant of arrest on the Interim Administrator of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Effiong Okon Akwa, for refusing to appear before it.

The boss of the Federal Government intervention agency for the Niger Delta region was asked by the Senate to appear before it to give an explanation on the N6.2billion spent by the Commission on COVID-19 palliatives.

Checks revealed that Effiong Akwa had failed to honour previous summons by the Committee under the leadership of Senator representing Ondo Central, Ayo Akinyelure.

Senator Akinyelure, on Monday, said his Committee would contact the Inspector- General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to arrest the NDDC boss and bring him before the Committee on March 9, 2021.

He said: “Having invited head of the NDDC four times now, without honouring of the invitations, this committee has no option than invoking a relevant section of the Constitution for a warrant of arrest on whoever is the boss of the agency now.

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“The petition against the agency by an insider on alleged squandering of N6.2billion on palliatives against COVID-19 last year is grave and weighty to be ignored.

” To this end, required constitutional procedures and processes will be followed by this committee in ensuring that the Inspector General of Police bring before it, the NDDC boss on March 9, 2021, when the next sitting will hold.”

The Senate invitation was a sequel to a petition brought before it by Chairman of the NDDC’s COVID-19 Palliative Distribution Committee, Ambassador Sobomabo Jackrich.

Jackrich in the petition claimed that under Professor Daniel Pondei led Interim Management Committee (IMC)
despite the allocation of N6.25billion on Palliatives against COVID-19 last year across the nine oil-producing states, no amount was spent.

His petition read in part: “As Chairman of the COVID-19 Palliatives Distribution Committee of the NDDC, I testify that N6.25billion approved by Mr President for Palliatives for the entire Niger Delta Region through the NDDC, cannot be accounted for and is allegedly embezzled by the then Prof Daniel Pondei – led IMC.

“My committee was totally sidelined and the IMC hijacked the process because of their secret plots just because I was the Chairman, demanded transparency in the entire process.

“The then IMC conspired among themselves and distributed strange substance in the name of Palliatives in form of spoilt food items to a few communities in the region.

“To cover up for the fraud, they tried without success to bribe me with few bags of rice and beans just to induce me to play along with them.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Alleged N6.25bn fraud: Senate issues warrant of arrest on NDDC boss