The National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) was still in a pensive mood yesterday following the death of one of its assistant directors, Mr Christopher Orji, on August 30.
Orji, 59, who until his death was NABDA’s Bioresource Centre coordinator in Langtang, Plateau State, reportedly committed suicide in Abuja last week.
His lifeless body was said to have been found dangling from a rope tied to a ceiling fan at his residence at Federal Housing Authority Estate, Lugbe, Abuja, at about 4pm on August 30.
His nephew, Stanley Orji, was said to have returned from work on the ill-fated day only to find the lifeless body of his uncle dangling in his apartment. Stanley then raised an alarm which attracted some neighbours and family members before lodging a complaint at the Lugbe Police Divisional Headquarters in the capital city.
One of the residents of the area who spoke to Daily Trust on the condition of anonymity said policemen were dispatched to the scene and later evacuated the body to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Jabi, where he was reportedly examined and certified dead. His body was later deposited at the morgue of the hospital, the resident said.
Sources at NABDA told Daily Trust that police homicide detectives were still investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.
Reports said he had been invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to report at its Abuja office on the day he was found dead.
However, one of the staff of the agency, who pleaded anonymity, said Orji could not have killed himself as no suicide note was found at his residence.
“I don’t think he killed himself. For what? I mean, why would he kill himself? Even if he had a case with the EFCC as being speculated, he couldn’t have committed suicide,’’ the NABDA staff told our reporter.
But when contacted to speak on the circumstances surrounding Orji’s death, NABDA’s Acting Head of Communications and Protocol, Nkiru Amakeze, declined comment.
“So, what do you want me to tell you now? Please, I can’t speak on it,” Amakaeze simply said.
Up till now, there is no official statement from the EFCC on the reported invitation of the late assistant director.
But a senior official at the headquarters of the commission told Daily Trust that it was very unlikely the invitation extended to the late assistant director was the main cause of his death.
He, however, confirmed that invitation was extended to the deceased about a week before he passed on.
“He was only invited to show up at the commission and explain some issues related to some contracts,” the official said.
However, a senior official at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation told Daily Trust that there was a corruption case there three years ago but that he was not aware of a new issue involving EFCC and any NABDA staff.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not cleared to speak with the media on Orji’s death, said the financial crime case which brought the EFCC into the biotechnology agency was in 2018 when a former DG was arrested with some senior officials of the agency for mismanaging N574 million.
He said, “The DG entered into a bargain of sort when she returned the money she was alleged to have mismanaged. She was let off the hook but was relieved of her position.
“We heard then that apart from the former DG and the senior officials, some NABDA officials were also mentioned as having taken part in the financial crime. But I am not sure if this present case is the same as the 2018 case or a fresh one,” the senior civil servant told Daily Trust in Abuja.
A former director general of NABDA, Prof Lucy Ogbadu, and nine officials, including the then Bayelsa State director of the agency, Josiah Bitrus Habu, were arraigned by the EFCC, Port Harcourt Office in 2018 for alleged diversion of N574m.
Other suspects docked were Beatrice Alphine Ogoh; Habu Esther Josiah; Alphine Ogoh; Ebinbin Ajagun; Gloria Ishaya; Yerima Joseph Ephraim, Nathan Danladi and Prof. Godwin Haruna Ogbadu.
Three companies docked alongside the suspects were Jiniya Nig. Limited, Garkuwa Jobs Enterprises and Alton Integrated Services Limited.
They were arraigned on a 49-count charge bordering on conspiracy, diversion of funds, money laundering and obtaining under false pretence to the tune of N573,969,742.27.
Daily Trust reports that Orji’s name was not mentioned in the 2018 case.
Another staff of NABDA told our reporter that though there was a rumour that some senior officials in the agency were caught by an anti-graft agency over their suspected involvement, it was not clear if Orji was among them.
The staff could not also confirm the amount of money the senior officials were alleged to have stolen.
“Sincerely, we have heard that some of our bosses are being trailed by either Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) or EFCC operatives over alleged misappropriation of funds. But I don’t know who and who among them precisely. I am not also sure if the deceased assistant director was among those being trailed,’’ he said.
But in November last year, the acting Director-General of the agency, Prof. Alex Akpa, was taken into the custody of the ICPC for allegedly defrauding the federal government of N400m.
An investigation by the commission revealed that the money, which the DG claimed to be an intervention fund for the biotechnology agency, was diverted into private pockets.
Akpa, a professor of Microbiology and Biotechnology, was said to have shared the money with some top management staff of the agency.
In a statement titled, “Microbiology professor in ICPC net over N400m fraud,” the ICPC disclosed that Akpa was arrested by operatives to answer questions on “how the said amount belonging to the government could disappear under his watch.”
The acting DG also faced questions bordering on conspiracy and abuse of office.
The statement read, “His actions are contrary to and punishable under sections 19 and 26 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
“Further investigations into the acting DG’s alleged fraudulent activities are still ongoing and the commission will take appropriate action once they are concluded.”
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria had accused Akpa of corruption, adding that NABDA workers had inundated it with reports of the DG’s alleged unethical practices.
Daily Trust reports that though NABDA receives budgetary allocation from the federal government, it also gets millions of dollars from international donor agencies in aids for research works on biotechnology.
The agency has been at the forefront of developing genetically modified crops and animals to boost food production in the country.
Bioresources Development Centre, Langtang where Orji was heading before his death started operation in 2017 with the mandate to promote bioresources development in its catchment area.
Technical divisions in the centre include Crop Bioresources Division, Animal Bioresources Division, Bioresources Production/Processing as well as Bioresources Training and Services (BTS), all having prospects for research and development.
Ongoing projects at the centre are perimeter fencing, administrative building, extension of electricity, access roads, borehole, tissue culture laboratory and molecular biology laboratory.
It was not clear if Orji was directly in charge of these projects.
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