The Global Forum for Accountability and Transparency, Nigeria, a nonpartisan group championing accountability in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has handed a seven-day ultimatum to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to explain the circumstances surrounding the N475 million allegedly donated to the Police as COVID-19 palliative by the NDDC.
The leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) had told the National Assembly during probe of activities of the agency that N475m was given to the Police for purchase of face masks to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the Force.
Writing through his lawyers, Worenwu and Associates, Mr Joseph Ambakederimo, Founder/Lead Executive of the organization, insisted the silence of the Police could be interpreted for connivance and urged the IG to clear the air on the matter.
The group argued the clarification from the Police hierarchy became imperative to put the records straight.
It stated: “We demand full disclosure on this matter from the police authorities mainly due to the fact that we have uncovered a similar incident concerning claims by the then NDDC Management of purported supply of Hilux trucks to an arm of the security agencies that was never corroborated by the agency so named.
“Therefore we can confirm that there is an institutional pattern that has been ingrained in the commission that is been recycled and used annually to take out funds directly from the treasury.
“Now it is the name of the police that may have been attempted to be used to perpetrate fraud and this is the more likely reason for the police to avail the Nigerian people know the facts of the matter by going full disclosure”.
In the letter which was received and acknowledged by the Finance and Administration Department, force headquarters, Abuja, the group said it was requesting clarification on some “obscure facts surrounding the donation of the covid-19 palliatives pursuant to section 1 of the freedom of Information Act 2011 laws of the federation”.
The group tasked the IG “to explain where, when and how the so-called palliatives totalling almost half a billion were donated”, adding that the information was needed to aid the National Assembly currently investigating the expenditure of the NDDC with a view to determining if the Commission had delivered on its mandate.
Lawyers to the group sought to know if actually the NDDC made such donation to the Police by confirming if the Police Force requested for such assistance from the NDDC.
Among others, it also sought to know “how much was actually released to the police by the NDDC? When the money was released to the Police and whether the money released to the police was in cash , cheque or electronic fund transfer”
“Where was the money presentation ceremony done? Who represented the IG at the presentation ceremony”, the Niger Delta group demanded.
“Our clients are of the firm belief that if the Nigeria Police Force had requested for such assistance from the NDDC that there will be a correspondence between the NDDC and the police.
“Consequently, our clients humbly request that you graciously avail us the information required in paragraph 3(a-f) to enable them present their facts to the senate and national assembly to aid their investigation of the alleged embezzlement of funds in the NDDC.
“Our clients’ authority to make the above request is predicated on section 1(1), (2),(3) of the Freedom of Information (FOI) act 2011 laws of the federation of Nigeria.
“Please take this letter as notice given to you under the act and provide the required information to us in seven days from the date of service of this letter in line with the provisions of section 4 of the FOI act 2011 laws of the federation,” it noted.
Source: FOICoalition
