Anti-graft group gives EFCC ultimatum to arrest, prosecute ex-NDDC bosses

A group, Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum (ACIF), has threatened to approach a competent court of law in the next seven days in order to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and prosecute former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Professor Nelson Brambaifa, if the anti-corruption agency failed to do so.

The group also vowed to complement their legal thrust with protests to occupy the EFCC headquarters in Abuja as well as the Presidency at the expiration of the seven days ultimatum.

The seven-day ultimatum is coming on the heels of a petition to the EFCC, signed by Comrade Prince Kpokpogri and Comrade Adediran Raymond, Chairman and Secretary of the group respectively and dated 16th December, 2019.

In a statement signed on Monday in Abuja, by Comrade Prince Kpokpogri, Chairman of the anti-graft forum, he expressed concerns over the delay in arresting and prosecuting the former MD of NDDC, Professor Nelson Brambaifa, his sons; David Brambaifa, Christopher; former Executive Director of Finance, Chris Amadi; Wife, Anna Preye Brambaifa; Greg David Osuma; Clara Osuma; Mike Ayapaye, Uche Aleke, Honourable Sunday Aguebor, Brigadier General Charles Dalo Nengite and Tony Chukwu over the record fraud actions.

The forum described the delay as inimical to the anti-corruption drive of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

Consequently, the forum called on the NDDC Audit Committee, chaired by Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, to extend intensive investigative attention to former MDs and Executive Directors of the Commission with promise to provide requisite documents to compliment their investigations.

In the petition earlier submitted to the EFCC, the group accused Prof. Brambaifa and others of “contract racketeering, contract fraud, embezzlement and money laundering of a staggering contract sum of over One Hundred Billion Eight Hundred Million Naira (N100,807, 595, 994.18) in three months from Niger Delta Development Commission’s accounts Domiciliary account number 10367-usdclbaxx-xx, main account number 12017966xxxx, revenue account number, 12017966xxxx, project account 12017966xxx at the Central Bank Of Nigeria.”

According to the petition, Professor Brambaifa made NDDC pay the contractors between seventy and seventy five percent (70-75%) of the contract sum as mobilization and soon after, the balance is paid even before the completion of the project.

“This certainly proves that the said companies were used as a front to embezzle and siphon monies in the guise of awarding contracts, most of which are never executed. This is against the dictates of the public procurement act,” the petition noted.

The group accused the former MD of having the worst performance record despite spending more than any of his predecessors, adding that: “Professor Nelson Brambaifa is pressing hard to ensure that the outstanding contract sum on multibillion naira contracts awarded to his front companies. Some of these companies are sourced by his sons, David Brambaifa and Christopher Brambaifa who also happen to be special assistants to their father.”