Abubakar Malami (SAN), Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, on Thursday disclosed that the Federal Government will probe and prosecute those behind the stealing of funds meant for the development of Niger Delta region.
Malami stated this in his remarks after receiving on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari the report on the forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The AGF said the call for the audit by the people of the Niger Delta region arose from the huge gaps between resources invested in the region vis-à-vis the huge gap in infrastructural, human and economic development.
Malami said the Federal Government will in consequence apply the law to remedy the deficiencies outlined in the audit report as appropriate.
“This will include but not limited to initiation of criminal investigations, prosecution, recovery of funds not properly utilised”, he said.
The Justice Minister revealed that from 2001 to 2019, NDDC had received the sum of approximately N6 trillion from the Federal Government for execution of projects.
“It is on record that between 2001 and 2019, the Federal Government has approved N3, 375, 735,776,794.93 as budgetary allocation and N2,420,948,894,191.00 as income from statutory and non-statutory sources, which brings the total figure to the sum of approximately N6 trillion given to the Niger Delta Development Commission”, Malami said.
The minister noted that considerable resources have been channeled by the Federal Government to the development of Niger Delta, which underscored the essence of the forensic audit.
“The essence of the forensic audit is to ensure probity and accountability in the use of public funds.
“It is against this background that the Federal Government will without hesitation strategically implement all aspects of the audit exercise that will promote probity and greater prosperity for the Niger Delta region and Nigeria as whole.
“The Federal Government is particularly concerned with the colossal loss occasioned by uncompleted and unverified development projects in the Niger Delta region, in spite of the huge resources made available to uplift the living standard of the citizens.
“We have on record over 13,777 projects, the execution of which is substantially compromised.
“The Federal Government is also concerned with the multitudes of Niger Delta Development Commission’s bank accounts amounting to 362 and lack of proper reconciliation of accounts”, Malami said.
Malami commended the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. (Dr.) Godswill Akpabio; his colleague, Sen. Omotayo Alasoadura; the Interim Administrator, management and staff of NDDC for their support towards the completion of the audit exercise.
