A coalition of civil society groups in the South-South region, United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the forensic audit of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is speedily carried out.

During an emergency virtual meeting yesterday, Secretary-General of UNDEDSS, Mr. Tony Uranta, said the group had repeatedly decried corruption in the NDDC and the government of various states in the region.

“We have been in total support of the current renewed anti-corruption stance and directives of President Buhari, especially the demand that a comprehensive forensic audit is carried out as directed by him, and that those indicted be made to face the full consequences of criminality in courts of law.

“The audit should be carried out by credible international organisations, with the representatives of the police, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Department of State Services (DSS) as observers, in the first instance. The name (s) of the forensic auditors must be made known to Nigerians.”

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[FILES] Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari

The coalition said it had, for many years, shouted that some indigenes of the region had been very corrupt regarding their dealings with the NDDC (as board members, executives and contractors) and that most of the sleaze had been possible allegedly by the complicity and directives from members of the National Assembly.

“We agree that the Senate and House of Representatives hearings are statutory, but we prefer that the NDDC be subjected to the forensic audit ordered by the President, and those indicted be treated by the police and anti-corruption institutions as criminals they are, and thus be arraigned before the courts,” the group posited.

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