Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Professor Nelson Braimbraifa looted over N40 billion within two months of resumption from the commission findings from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reveal.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that the while looting has become instituted in the commission against the backdrop of an illicit compulsory 10 percent upfront payment for certified invoices, personnel who are in the good books of the management team use their privileged positions to loot the commission.
It was learnt that the anti-corruption agencies, especially the EFCC and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have since turned a blind eye to the series of petitions and agitations over the massive stealing going on under Braimbraifa’s watch at the NDDC.
It was however gathered that a week after one of petitioners submitted their letter to the anti-graft agency in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, they started receiving death threats from various unregistered mobile telephone numbers which forces them to go into hiding to save their lives.
It was earlier reported that the embattled NDDC MD who is alleged to be paying bribes to senior Presidency officials to be confirmed, used his son Christopher Braimbraifa to coordinate the looting, hired thugs who stuffed ballot papers during the last elections in Rivers and Bayelsa state, findings reveal.
However, sources who confided in Pointblanknews.com over Braimbraifa’s looting of over N40 billion in two months said, “We even took a step by reporting at the EFCC in Port-Harcourt but all we got was: ‘Show us the evidence, show us the evidence. That is what we need to act. We cannot act by mere allegations. ‘
“Regrettably, a week after we submitted the petition, we started receiving death threats from various unregistered mobile telephone numbers. That was why we have gone into hiding to save our lives.
“To say the least, the NDDC has derailed completely and degenerated to a cash cow for the corrupt staff and management of the commission at the detriment of the of the ordinary people of the region.”
The sources further stated that despite the huge debt profile of the commission, running into trillions of Naira, the current management has continued to award meaningless projects.
“The commission with over a trillion naira debt profile has continued to award meaningless projects and abandoned some of the well-meaning ones initiated by the defunct OMPADEC that was justifiably managed by the former chief spy of the nation, Horsfall and the very first board of the commission.
“For instance, of what use are solar powered streetlights to a community whose citizenry retires into their homes to use kerosene operated lanterns, candles and fireplaces with no drinking water?
“The NDDC now embarks on resurfacing of roads in the state capitals of member states in the name of emergency repairs to avoid due public procurement procedures and pay 100 percent to contractors as soon as the 10 per cent that has been formally entrenched as part of the contractual procedures exchanged hands.
“The sacred employees of the commission even go as far as openly fronting for National Assembly members and live in unjustifiable affluence. Because of the 10 percent kickback, those small amount projects which in their opinion will yield peanuts are relegated and left unpaid even with approved interim payment certificates while new jobs running into billions are now awarded with reckless abandon.
“The NDDC has what they call “small pocket or ticket projects” that is deliberately manipulate to less than N250,000,000.00 and awarded in multiples to up to N2billion to friends and cronies. Most of these projects are the ones executed by other donor agencies but claimed by the commission with the signposts of NDDC conspicuously hosted.
“Another pathetic issue is that roads are constructed to staff acquired layouts within Port-Harcourt and its environs. Our contact promised to reel out magnificent hotels owned by a Finance Director in the commission. The hotels are situated close to Stadium Road, Port Harcourt.
“The present acting Managing Director who is known for his penchant to make any public office a family affair has in less than two months carted away over N40 billion.
“It is on record that he was the person who deployed the military to his home towns (maternal and paternal) Agbere/ Odoni to stuff ballot boxes and shot his way out during the presidential elections after all efforts to induce the communities with money failed.
“In his desperation, he gathered some traditional rulers recently to project him as the one that the cap fits and the best to run the commission.
He virtually lives in Abuja moving from one office to the other lobbying with huge sums of money to be retained as the substantive Managing Director.
“Indeed, this man currently in the saddle is an unrepentant criminal and a disgrace to his professorial title.
“He has turned the commission into a family affair and personal empire in which his wife and children are the shareholders. If this man is kept longer than necessary, the NDDC will totally eclipse or there will be riots and demonstrations.”
Further leaks from the commission reveals that Braimbraifa turned the NDDC into his family franchise because of a health crisis he is battling.
Another source within the commission revealed that the managing director ” forgets everything quickly and his sons Christopher and David have been forging his signature to approve more emergency roads for themselves.
“Reports also says he has been treating prostrate cancer for the past years and its aggravated now.”
