The President may have ordered the probe of Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Ambassador Sam Edem for allegedly spending N270 million on ritual, it was learnt yesterday.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it was learnt, is expected to arrest Edem any moment from now.
A source told The Nation in confidence that the Presidency was upset by a report in the current edition of Newswatch Magazine linking Edem to the ritual.
The magazine had reported the confessional statement made by the suspect to the Police and published his photograph which was taken during the ritual. The ritual was said to have taken place at a cemetery in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. It was gathered that the government was upset by the development which borders on the mismanagement of public funds.
The source said: “After reading the story, the President asked some of his aides whether the report that the NDDC chairman spent such money on juju could be true. “The aides told the President that the man had not denied it. At this stage, the President asked his aides to confirm the genuineness of the written statement made by Edem to the Police. “Following this confirmation, the President ordered the Inspector-General of Police Mike Okiro, and the EFCC to move in. “The President is not concerned about the ritual but he said what the government is concerned about is the source of the money used for the ritual. “So, the anti-graft agency has the mandate of the President to probe Edem in the light of the findings of the Police. A highly-placed source in the EFCC confirmed the presidential directive. He however added: “We have been investigating many petitions against the NDDC chairman before the presidential directive. “Our operatives are working round the clock on the allegations and very soon, we will inform the nation accordingly.”
Also yesterday, EFCC Chairman Mrs. Farida Waziri, confirmed that the commission was looking into how the ritual fund was sourced.
During an interaction with the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola (rtd), Waziri said: “Imagine the story in the current edition of Newswatch where it is reported that a public officer used N270million for ritual purpose.
“At a time some people cannot afford a meal in this country, a public officer burnt N270million in a cemetery. We have to fight this type of ill in the society.”
The Nation
had about a month ago reported that the Police had uncovered a plot to kill Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio and NDDC Managing Director Timi Alaibe.
The plot was said to have involved a top officer of the NDDC, who gave N500million to an herbalist.
Last night, a source in the NDDC, who spoke in confidence with The Nation, said the probe was welcome.
He said:” You know our Managing Director was one of those to be killed in the plot if not for divine intervention.
“The public needs to know that Edem is a part-time member of the commission. He could not have got such money from this body because the NDDC is a prudent organisation with many financial checks. He is not even a public officer per se; he is a part-time board member.
“In the Newswatch story, it was reported that the man got a N7billion contract from the Akwa Ibom State Government. Maybe that was where he allegedly got the money.
“All this information is necessary so that Nigerians will be in the full picture of his status in the NDDC, which is doing its best to facilitate development in the Niger Delta.