News
Probe: Nigeria’ll Break If NDDC Releases List Of Looters – IMC
The Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has said that if it releases the list of those involved in looting the commission, the country would break.
The IMC has also accused members of the National Assembly of plotting to stall the forensic audit ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Executive Director in charge of Projects at the NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, who made the allegation while speaking to newsmen in Abuja, said that Nigerians would be shocked if the commission releases the names and calibre of persons involved in contract scam in 2017 and 2019, especially among members of the National Assembly.
It would be recalled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC), meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, last Wednesday, approved the forensic auditing of about 12,000 NDDC contracts.
But Ojougboh alleged that the recent pressure by the National Assembly to probe the activities of the IMC was instigated by the fear of the forensic audit.
He said that the mission of the IMC to the NDDC and the Niger Delta region was to ensure that every Naira that had been put into the region through the commission was accounted for, and vowed that the committee would dare every odd to ensure that the mission was accomplished, not minding whose ox was gored.
Ojougboh took a swipe at the National Assembly for condemning the N51million monthly imprest for the office of the Acting Managing Director of the commission, and the N18million imprest for his office, saying that such monies were not personal money but for the upkeep of the place, especially on security.
He alleged that a highly placed member of the National Assembly from the South-South, whom he accused of working against the IMC, has a cumulative imprest of about N100million monthly without the kind of security challenges the NDDC management faces on daily basis.
According to him, “My MD feeds 100 policemen every day, and in Port Harcourt as an executive of NDDC, you need security more than anything, till tomorrow, you know of it. When they are sending these policemen, the instruction is feed them, cater for them, that is what is in the letter the police hierarchy sent.
“So, people are talking about N51million of imprest for the MD, it is a security vote, it’s not for his personal pocket, the money does not go to the MD’s account. Myself, N18million, it does not go to my account, it goes for security and other expenses, and it is retired, there is no fraud in it.”
He said when President Buhari nominated them, and they arrived at NDDC office Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, the first thing they noticed was that the two chairmen (NDDC Committee) in the National Assembly, were the “De facto management, managers and the executive of NDDC.”
He said as a former member of the National Assembly and a former liaison officer to the President, he has been in the Chambers, and he has been in government since 1999 till date.
“So, I know what time of the day it is in politics and in governance. So, we told them it cannot be business as usual, then, they said we must leave.”
Asked what was responsible for the sudden interest of the National Assembly in the activities of the IMC, he said, “God bless you. It’s the forensic audit that the President has instituted because the National Assembly is culpable. At the end of the forensic audit, you will see members of the National Assembly.
“A senator came and said that in the list of 2016 they brought, that he had only six contracts, I said no, that he had more. What he didn’t know is that we did not release the list for 2017 and the one for 2019. If we release it, this country will break.”
Also asked why the country should break, he said, “Oh, because of the people looting, the calibre, the names and people looting the NDDC. And who engineers it? The chairmen of the NDDC in the Senate and House of Representatives in the National Assembly.
“So, when I explained, I told Mr. President to look, my job here is very simple. Mr. President looks, even if it is the only thing I achieve in my life to make sure that things are put right for the people of the Niger Delta to have the benefit of the NDDC. You can call me any name, you can do anything, you can say anything, I don’t care but I must do the right thing and the right thing is that no one penny will be missing.”
He further alleged that the National Assembly had planned to truncate the progress of the forensic audit through various means; first by using the probes by the committees and later by refusing to sign the budget, saying the refusal to sign the budget is an instrument of blackmail against the IMC.
He said, “Mark you, the National Assembly sabotaged, through the instrumentality of the chairmen of the House and Senate, they sabotaged … if you give them to report, they will say you did not bring performance report. We brought everything that they’ve asked us to bring, but they used the budget as the instrument of blackmail.
“So, they have blackmailed the nation and the Niger Delta in the last 20 years, that is why you see that you cannot go to the Niger Delta today and see ten kilometres of dualised roads done by the NDDC, no. What do you see, 500 meters here, 200 meters there and all of them one billion each”, he said.
He, however, said despite efforts of the National Assembly to muzzle the IMC and frustrate the forensic audit, the audit process had progressed as the first leg of the job had already been concluded and the second and final leg would soon kick-off.
He said, “It has started. Why are we here if it has not? The National Assembly wanted to truncate it, they said they will not pass our budget. You know the forensic audit is in two stages; we have procured the lead auditors and they are at work, they have all the files of all the contracts at the NDDC from inception till date.
“The second stage is to send the various auditors to each of the states, the National Assembly people know that’s where they are culpable so they stopped our budget, but the President said the forensic audit must continue that he will fund it.
“The lead auditors have finished their initial job, they have written their report, now each of the states will have one auditor looking at all the contracts and projects in it. That’s what we came here for today. These auditors will now go back to the states tomorrow, once we finish here today and the council approves it.”
On the allegations of misappropriation against the IMC by the National Assembly committees, Ojougboh said the allegations were just another attempt at blackmail, explaining that the IMC had not awarded a single contract, but had been sorting out what he described as obligatory debts of the NDDC to its contractors.
“That’s the problem. The reason they are touting those multiple billions is just to give us a bad name, the multiple billions that are payments for obligatory debts. The payment is not for me, every year the NDDC spends as much as four to five hundred billion, it is the debt we met on ground.
“People have done their jobs, are we going to say they should not be paid? We have not awarded one contract; people are taking us to court every day. So, we look at the projects, we clear them and we pay. They said we spent, but we didn’t spend, rather we paid historic debts”, he explained.
He further said, “They are talking about Covid-19 payment, the Federal Government is given every citizen N30,000 each, do you know how much Federal Government has spent? The CBN and many other corporations have been giving Covid-19 allowances, which are within their purview, just like NDDC did.
“In the National Assembly, each of the senators got N20million, while the House of Representatives members got N15million for Covid-19 from the National Assembly. They all received Covid-19 allowances.”
Asked if the money spent by the commission on Covid-19 palliatives was budgeted for, he said, the money was spent under emergency.
He said, “It was not budgeted for because it was an emergency, it’s allowed. It comes under emergency. The N30,000 per person that the Federal Government is giving to the citizens, was it budgeted for? Did anybody budget for Covid-19? Nobody budgeted for Covid-19. The SGF is the chairman of the Covid-19 Task Force in Nigeria, was that task force budgeted for? It’s an emergency, and it’s allowed.
“What we are saying is that Nigerians must appreciate Mr. President. Like when we got to the headquarter building, no one thought that building could be completed. Today, we have completed it, we are inside it, but they will come to tell you that we are inside an uncompleted building, which is a very huge lie.
“We are inside the building that is where I go to work every day. It’s all propaganda by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, and his cohorts just because they want to throw us out of the place because of politics, and if we didn’t go there, that headquarters building would not be completed.”
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, has congratulated the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Moni Pulo Limited, Dr (Mrs.) Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs, on her conferment of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Best of Africa Awards in London.
?
?In a congratulatory message issued from Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, Odu described the recognition as a well-deserved honour that reflects Lulu-Briggs’ outstanding contributions to business, philanthropy and humanitarian development spanning more than four decades.
?
?The deputy governor noted that the award, presented at the Best of Africa Awards Dinner held at the Peninsula Hotel, London, was a fitting tribute to a remarkable woman whose commitment to enterprise, compassion and service to humanity has positively impacted countless lives in Nigeria and beyond.
?
?She said the honour was further evidence of Lulu-Briggs’ enduring legacy of generosity and selfless service through the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation, which she founded to advance humanitarian causes and bring relief and hope to vulnerable individuals and communities.
?
?Odu noted that the recognition, presented before distinguished personalities from across Africa and the diaspora under the theme “Unity,” celebrated the values of stewardship, ingenuity and service that continue to inspire meaningful development across the continent.
?
?She added that Dr Lulu-Briggs’ achievements demonstrate that true greatness lies not merely in professional success, but also in the ability to uplift others, transform communities and leave a lasting legacy of compassion and positive change.
?
?According to the statement, the Best of Africa Awards celebrates exceptional Africans whose professional accomplishments transcend personal success to touch lives, empower communities, inspire hope and make enduring contributions to society.
?
?The award recognises individuals whose achievements exemplify the power of purpose, philanthropy and service to humanity, Odu noted.
?
The lawmaker representing Ahoada East Constituency I in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Queen Uwuma Tony-Williams, has received the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag as a candidate of the Rainbow Coalition for the 2027 general elections.
Tony-Williams received the flag alongside other candidates at a ceremony held on October 27, 2026, at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The event marked the formal presentation of party flags to candidates seeking elective positions under the Rainbow Coalition, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The unveiling ceremony was supervised by the coalition’s national leader, Chief Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor of Rivers State.
The presentation of the PDP flag to Tony-Williams formally signalled her participation in the coalition’s electoral arrangement as she seeks another term representing Ahoada East Constituency I in the state legislature.
The ceremony also featured the presentation of flags to candidates contesting governorship and National Assembly seats, underscoring the coalition’s political activities ahead of the forthcoming elections.
Among the prominent personalities present were Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and his supporters, alongside other political stakeholders from within and outside the state.
The event forms part of the political engagements and preparations by the Rainbow Coalition as participating candidates begin positioning themselves for the 2027 electoral contest.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Federal Government at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice over alleged diversion, irregular expenditure and failure to account for N78.8bn allocated to cash-transfer and social-protection programmes.
SERAP, in a statement released by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, yesterday, said the allegations involved the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the National Cash Transfer Office and the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office.
The allegations were documented in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2024 Annual Report, published on August 7, 2026.
According to the report, the findings covered various periods between January 2023 and December 31, 2024.
In the suit, marked ECW/CCJ/APP/42/26 and filed last week, SERAP is seeking a declaration that the government’s failure to account for the funds violates Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
The organisation is also asking the court to order the government to provide a comprehensive account of the questioned funds, investigate the alleged irregularities, recover any money improperly spent or diverted where established, and strengthen financial oversight of social-protection programmes.
SERAP argued that the alleged financial irregularities could undermine the rights of vulnerable Nigerians to social security and an adequate standard of living, including access to food, clothing and housing.
The statement party read, “The funds were intended to benefit over 3.2 million households across 35 states, whose access to financial assistance has been affected by the allegations made by the Auditor-General.”
The suit, filed by SERAP’s lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Kehinde Oyewumi, stated that the government’s failure to investigate the allegations and recover any improperly spent funds violated its obligations to protect vulnerable households.
“The failure to investigate the N78.8 billion cash-transfer scandal, account for the questioned funds and recover any unlawfully spent amounts violates Nigeria’s obligations to protect the human rights of vulnerable households,” the suit partly read.
The organisation said it instituted the case to protect affected households and ensure accountability for public funds allocated for their benefit.
“SERAP brings this public-interest case to protect the interests of affected households and ensure accountability for public funds allocated for their benefit,” it stated.
The organisation maintained that cash-transfer programmes could help address extreme poverty and enable vulnerable people to meet their basic needs, but argued that the government had a duty to ensure the funds were properly managed.
“The right to social security cannot be effectively realised merely by establishing a formal cash-transfer programme where the State fails to maintain reasonable systems for identifying beneficiaries, maintaining records, reconciling disbursements, monitoring expenditure, investigating irregularities and remedying losses,” the statement further stated.
According to SERAP, the Auditor-General questioned approximately N33.751bn reportedly transferred to more than 3.2 million households across 35 states in 2023, noting that adequate records to verify the payments and reconcile beneficiary records were not provided.
The report also identified N36.744bn in payments allegedly made without prepayment audits, N4.616bn in unsupported expenditures, N350.182m for enrolment, N89.511m for store purchases and N17.422m in diesel advances.
SERAP said the suit was brought under Article 9(4) of the ECOWAS Court Protocol to protect affected households and ensure accountability for public funds intended for social protection.
“The issue is whether the government has discharged its obligations under applicable human-rights treaties to safeguard resources allocated for social protection, investigate documented financial irregularities, provide effective remedies and ensure that those resources are applied for their intended purposes,” it stated.
The organisation also cited the constitutional responsibility of the Auditor-General to audit and report on the public accounts of the Federation and the offices and agencies of the Federal Government, describing the findings in the annual report as important official records of public expenditure.
It relied on Articles 1 and 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, arguing that the government had obligations to give effect to protected rights and ensure that failures in administering social-protection programmes did not result in discriminatory exclusion or unequal access to benefits.
“The Nigerian government has the obligation to take effective measures to prevent and address corruption and related misuse of public resources. The government has failed to take appropriate measures in response to the allegations made by the Auditor-General”, the statement added.
SERAP said it had previously urged President Bola Tinubu and relevant authorities to account for the questioned funds, publish audit records, investigate irregular expenditures, recover any funds unlawfully spent or diverted and take appropriate action against those responsible.
Following the publication of the Auditor-General’s report, the organisation issued a public statement and sent a letter dated September 5, 2026, requesting action on the findings. It also sought payment and beneficiary records, verification documents and an explanation for the missing REMITA records.
“The deadline given to the government to address the Auditor-General’s findings had elapsed without adequate action,” it stated.
The organisation further cited Articles 1 and 21 of the African Charter, alongside Article 9 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, as requiring effective measures to protect rights and resources, promote transparent public financial management, investigate irregularities and recover public funds where losses or improper expenditure were established.
SERAP also relied on the works of legal scholar Kolawole Olaniyan, including Corruption and Human Rights Law in Africa, published by Hart Publishing in 2014, and Ownership of Proceeds of Corruption in International Law, published by Oxford University Press in 2023. It said the publications provided persuasive academic authority on corruption’s effects on human rights, public resources, accountability and international legal remedies.
“SERAP accordingly submits that the Auditor-General’s findings cannot be treated merely as administrative irregularities where public funds allocated for social protection may have been lost, improperly spent or left unaccounted for, and the government fails to take effective corrective action,” the statement added.
SERAP is asking the court to direct the government to conduct an independent, prompt and effective investigation into the identified irregularities, recover public funds improperly spent, diverted or lost where established, and take appropriate legal or administrative action against those found responsible, in accordance with due process.
It also wants the government to strengthen financial accountability, beneficiary verification, auditing, reconciliation and oversight mechanisms to prevent a recurrence of the alleged irregularities and ensure that eligible vulnerable households receive their intended benefits.
The organisation is further seeking an order restraining the government from administering or disbursing cash-transfer and social-protection funds without adequate accountability and oversight mechanisms, as well as appropriate remedies for any established adverse effects on beneficiaries’ protected rights.
No date has, however, been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
-
Sports4 days agoNigerian Trio Target Titles At PFL Africa Finals
-
Education4 days agoFCE Yola Graduates 3,555 Teachers , Seeks Upgrade to University
-
Niger Delta4 days agoDiri Restates Stance On Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway
-
Niger Delta4 days agoC’River, NUJ Pay Tribute To Late Guardian Editor
-
News4 days agoNDLEA Recovers Tons Of Illicit Drug Consignments In Nine States
-
Opinion4 days agoChecking Voter Apathy In Nigeria’s Electoral Process
-
Politics4 days ago2027: DICKSON’S EX-ALLY VOWS TO WORK AGAINST NDC INTEREST IN BAYELSA
-
Politics4 days ago2027: GROUP PLEDGES 40,000 SUPPORTERS FOR COALITION CANDIDATES IN RIVERS