Daniel Kanu
The coalition of civil society and agitated citizens of the Niger Delta region, United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the comprehensive Forensic Audit he ordered the NDDC Interim Management Committee IMC to execute, is speedily carried out without tainting the process, or further shortchanging the region.
Also, the group wants the forensic audit to 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 made known to Nigerians.
The decision was reached today, Wednesday, July following an emergency virtual executive meeting of the rights and socially-relevant group monitoring the welfare of the region.
In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Comrade Tony I. Uranta, UNDEDSS said its group is totally in support of the current renewed anti-corruption stance and directives of President Buhari, just as it demanded that those indicted must be made to face the full weight of the law.
The statement read in part “
“UNDEDSS has repeatedly decried the quantum of the corruption that has become the trademark of the NDDC and the governments of the Niger Delta 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 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.
“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 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 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!
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