THE Niger Delta Development Commission has denied claims in some quarters that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission embarked on a mass arrest of directors in the interventionist agency.
There were speculations on Wednesday that officials of the EFCC had stormed the corporate headquarters of the NDDC in Port Harcourt and arrested over seven directors of the commission.
It was gathered that the anti-graft agency arrived at the NDDC corporate headquarters at about 11am and left with some directors.
Though no reason was given for the alleged arrest of the directors, it was learnt that the action of the EFCC was based on allegations of mismanagement of funds levelled against the directors.
But the Head of Corporate Affairs of the NDDC, Mr. Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, confirmed the visit of the EFCC to the commission’s headquarters to The PUNCH. In a telephone interview, he added that the anti-graft agency did not arrest any director in the interventionist agency.
Amu-Nnadi maintained that the EFCC only invited one of the directors in the NDDC, Mr. Robert Obuoha, to their office to clarify some issues, adding that nothing has been established against him.
“The EFCC requested for clarification from one director. They (EFCC) came and after the necessary contact, the man was invited to clarify some matters.
“So, it is not that the EFCC stormed the NDDC headquarters and arrested some director. It is not true that the EFCC embarked on a mass arrest of directors in our office,” he added.
Amu-Nnadi pointed out that the position of the interventionist agency was that anybody invited by the EFCC had the responsibility to honour such an invitation.
He explained that the visit by the anti-graft commission and the invitation of one of the directors of the NDDC was part of an ongoing investigation in agency.
He said, “The position of the NDDC is that when any official is invited (by the EFCC), the official has the obligation to answer. It (EFCC’s visit to NDDC and invitation of one of the directors) is part of an ongoing investigation.”
However, effort to reach the EFCC in Port Harcourt to get the reason behind their visit to the NDDC proved futile, as one of the officials, Gidado, said he would not be able to speak on the matter.
Source:PUNCH
