In a blistering rebuke, the Socio‑Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has implored President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to crack down on alleged obstruction by senior officials in the publication of the Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC) long‑awaited forensic audit.
Commissioned in 2020 and submitted to the Federal Government in September 2021, the report—covering NDDC activities between 2000 and 2019—has remained under lock and key, prompting SERAP to decry the concealment as “a grave and wilful attempt to obstruct, prevent and pervert the course of justice”.
A Chronology of Concealment
The forensic audit, initially ordered by then‑Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio, exposed structural inefficiencies and alleged financial malfeasance totalling over ₦6 trillion between 2000 and 2019—funds earmarked for road construction, health facilities and youth empowerment schemes now believed to have vanished into thin air.
Despite clear recommendations for prosecution and systemic reform, neither the contents nor the identities of the implicated have seen the light of day.
This echoes SERAP’s 2020 appeal under President Buhari, which urged suspension of Akpabio over the alleged illegal spend of ₦81.5 billion on consultancy, condolence visits and public communication within seven months.
Justice Deferred Is Justice Denied
SERAP warns that withholding the audit report not only shields suspects from prosecution but also tramples upon the rights of millions of Niger Delta residents, who remain deprived of infrastructure and accountability.
“The continued failure to publish the audit report undermines public trust and confidence, particularly of victims of corruption in the Niger Delta who have waited far too long for justice and accountability,” the organisation lamented.
Indeed, every day the report sits unpublished is another day the communities’ clamour for schools, clinics and clean water is silenced.
International Law: A Sword Against Silence
Invoking Article 25 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), which criminalises interference in corruption investigations, SERAP asserts that any act suppressing or delaying the report’s release constitutes a punishable offence under international law.
The group insists that, irrespective of the political discomfort it may cause, the Tinubu administration has a clear constitutional duty to publish the findings in full and act decisively on its recommendations.
“While the audit report may make uncomfortable reading for the indicted officials and politicians, your government has a constitutional responsibility to publish it and act upon its recommendations.”
— SERAP public message to President Tinubu
Call to Arms: Transparency as the Antidote
Beyond legal imperatives, SERAP frames publication of the NDDC audit as critical to restoring the Federal Government’s battered credibility.
“The forensic audit report of the NDDC can no longer be left to gather dust,” the organisation thundered, demanding immediate executive orders to (1) publish the report in full, (2) refer named individuals to anti‑corruption agencies, and (3) fast‑track prosecutions to deter future impunity.
As global eyes turn to Nigeria’s anti‑corruption resolve, the Tinubu presidency now faces a stark choice: bow to pressure and champion transparency, or risk irreparable damage to Nigeria’s standing at home and abroad.
For the silent victims of decades‑long NDDC neglect, the answer cannot come soon enough.
Atlantic Post writer Taiwo Adebowale contributed to this report.
