Investigations are ongoing as to how N1.5bn was reportedly withdrawn from the Ministry of Niger Delta affairs lodged with Nigeria’s apex bank, CBN.
Already, two senior accountants in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs have been suspended from office and are being quizzed so as to clarify how the money was stolen and how it was spent.
The missing amount is said to have been withdrawn in two different transactions; the first being a withdrawal of about N605 million while the second was about N800 million. It was actually the second withdrawal that caught the attention of the Head of Service of the Federation and that led to the interrogation and subsequent suspension of the two senior accountants in the ministry.
It is believed that the Federal Government plans to invite the former Niger Delta minister, Dr. Stephen Orise Oru through it’s anti-corruption bodies for interrogation. Another ex-minister of the embattled ministry, Elder Peter Godsday Orubebe had been previously interrogated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC and was later freed.
