EFCC Arrests Former NDDC Boss, Nsima Ekere

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Nsima Ekere.

He was arrested on Wednesday by EFCC operatives over corruption allegations running into about N47 billion.

Ekere was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Akwa Ibom State during the 2019 general election.

The arrest was confirmed by the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwajaren.

56-year-old Nsima was the Managing Director of the NDDC between 2016 and 2018.

He is accused of complicities involving contracts awarded to some NDCC contractors between 2017 and 2019.

“This commission is investigating alleged diversion of N47billion through registered contractors of NDDC.

“Some phony contracts were allegedly awarded for diversion purpose.

“Ekere is undergoing interrogation and we have detained him,” a source in the EFCC was quoted by The Nation to have said on the matter.

Meanwhile, the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government has suspended the embattled Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris.

Naija News reports that the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed, suspended Ahmed Idris from office over his alleged involvement in fraud being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Recall the anti-corruption commission had arrested Idris in connection with an alleged N80 billion fraud.

EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwajaren, confirmed Idris’s arrest on Monday after he failed to honour the invitations of the operatives.

The anti-graft agency stated that Idris allegedly diverted funds and laundered N80 billion.