Group Gives EFCC Seven-day Ultimatum to Prosecute Former NDDC Boss

Group Gives EFCC Seven-day Ultimatum to Prosecute Former NDDC Boss

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

A group known as Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum (ACIF) has given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) a seven-day ultimatum to arrest and prosecute former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Nelson Brambaifa.

The group said if the anti-graft agency refused to begin the prosecution of Brambaifa within the stipulated time frame, it would head to court in order to compel the EFCC to prosecute him.

It said in a statement issued yesterday by its Chairman, Mr. Prince Kpokpogri, who expressed concern over the delay in arresting and prosecuting Brambaifa, his sons, David and Christopher Brambaifa; former Executive Director of Finance, Chris Amadi; his wife, Anna Preye Brambaifa; Greg David Osuma, Clara Osuma, Mike Ayapaye, Uche Aleke, Hon. Sunday Aguebor, Brigadier General Charles Dalo Nengite and Tony Chukwu over alleged fraud.

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-day ultimatum.

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

In the petition earlier submitted to the EFCC, the group accused Brambaifa and others of alleged contract racketeering, fraud, embezzlement and money laundering of a staggering contract sum of N1.8 billion in three months from NDDC domiciliary accounts at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The group alleged that Brambaifa made NDDC to pay the contractors between 70 and 75 percent of the contract sum as mobilisation, and the balance was paid even before the completion of the project.

The group added: “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 were never executed. This is against the dictates of the Public Procurement Act.

“The EFCC will have to demonstrate to the presidency, Nigerians and the international community that they are serious in fighting corruption and fraud in high places by proving its efficiency in the way and manner it handles this petition against the office of an immediate-past Managing Director of NDDC, Professor Nelson Brambaifa, and his many cohorts as no one is above the laws of the land.”

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