…insists it must be speedily carried out
Following an Emergency Virtual Executive Meeting of the United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS) on Wednesday July 22, 2020, the coalition of civil society and restive citizens of the region has called upon President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the comprehensive Forensic Audit he ordered the Interim Management Committee IMC to execute, is speedily carried out without tainting the process, or further shortchanging the region.
“UNDEDSS has repeatedly decried the quantum of corruption that has become the trademark of the NDDC and the governments of the Niger Delta”, declared Mr. Tony I Uranta, UNDEDSS SecretaryGeneral, “and we have been totally in support of the current renewed anti-corruption stance and directives of President Buhari; especially the demand that a comprehensive forensic audit be carried out as directed by Mr. President, and, that those indicted be made to face the full consequences of criminality in courts of law.”
“The forensic audit”, Uranta continued, “should be carried out by internationally credible organisations, with the representatives of the police, NFIU, EFCC, DSS as observers in the first instance. And the name(s) of the forensic auditors must be made known to Nigerians”.
UNDEDSS went further to state that it has, for many years, shouted that whilst treacherous indigenes of the region have been very corrupt regarding their dealings with the NDDC (both as NDDC Boards, Executives and Contractors), most of the sleaze has been possible mainly because of the complicity and directives from both members of the National Assembly and the senior actors in the Abuja Executive; and, that the recent unfolding facts are confirming UNDEDSS allegations!
“We agree that the Senate and House hearings are statutory, but prefer that the NDDC be subjected to the forensic audit ordered by the President”, emphasized the UNDEDSS Scribe, “and, those indicted be treated by the police and anti-corruption institutions as the mere despicable criminals they are, and thus be arraigned before the courts of the land.”
UNDEDSS affirmed that the coalition is not interested in salacious allegations made by any of the players in the ongoing drama; concluding that all the Niger Delta wants is that justice be done, and stolen loot recovered.