NDDC probe: Centre writes IGP, DSS, seeks security protection for Acting MD

Following the forensic audit of the activities of the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has written the Inspector- General of Police and the Director-General of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) to beef up security around the Managing Director of the commission, Dr  Joi Nunieh.

The centre, in a letter dated 28th January 2020, made available to newsmen in Abuja, said the forensic probe has made the MD of the commission a target for disgruntled element who may be found culpable during the probe.

The centre said there is no gainsaying the fact that the issue of certificate forgery is popping up at this material time mainly because Dr Nunieh has inaugurated a 50 man Verification Committee headed by Dr Cairo Ojougboh to audit and document and contracts awarded in the nine Niger Delta States to ascertain the authenticity or otherwise of certain suspicious Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) paid to contractors, which has placed a debt burden of about N3 Trillion on the Commission.

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According to Director of Strategic Communication of CESJET, Barrister Abiodun Sodiq Babalola, the centre observed that the unfortunate rage trailing the inauguration of the Interim Management Committee sometime in October, 2019 by the Federal Government of Nigeria to run the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is taking an alarming dimension.

He, therefore, sought security protection from relevant security agencies for the NDDC boss.

He said the worry of the centre at the moment is the security of Dr Gbene Joi Nunieh who had become a soft target by the very looters and economic saboteurs she is exposing.

He called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to brace up to the task of beefing up security around Dr Nunieh in the coming days.