NDDC Says Financial Director Not Arrested, Invited For Routine Questions Over VAT

By Adesina Soyooye

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has debunked the story that its Director, Finance, Eno Ubi Otu, was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The story had gone viral on Wednesday that Ubi was arrested by the EFCC over an alleged fraud of N25 billion.

Even though the EFCC issued no statement on Otu’s alleged arrest, it was quickly connected to the long-awaited non- implementation of the report of the  Forensic Audit which President Buhari ordered of the interventionist Commission.

The report of the forensic audit has since, almost one year, been handed over to Buhari, but nothing has been heard of it until recently when he hinted that both the implementation and the constitution of a Board would soon come to be.

However, the NDDC has distanced Otu from any arrest by the EFCC. In a statement by its Management, the Commission said that Ubi was not arrested, but was invited for routine questions on VAT, spanning a period of 15 years.

Said the Commission:

“The attention of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has been drawn to a story published by the Vanguard, The Nation, Punch, Premium Times and few other news journals, alleging that the Director, Finance and Accounts of the Commission, Mr. Eno Ubi Otu, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, ‘in relation to a case of alleged diversion of over N25 billion tax remittances.’

“Management wishes to categorically, and without equivocation, state that Mr. Eno Ubi Otu was only invited by the EFCC as part of a routine procedural investigation into non remittance VAT over a 15 year period, raised by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), ostensibly orchestrated by persons seeking to be named in the forthcoming Board of the Commission.

“It is important to state that this period covers when the Director was not even a member of the Commission’s Management Committee. EFCC has therefore only invited him to provide more clarity to their investigations. Mr. Eno Ubi Otu was not arrested.

Indeed, Management views with grave concern the report that there is an attempt to uncover ‘how N25 billion was looted and how it was shared.’

“It is also to be noted that this is mere conjecture by the reporters, since such information has not been attributed to any individual, neither did the EFCC’s spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, provide such information, neither did he confirm it. To imply therefore a criminal liability is most reckless and distasteful, even to the least standards of ethical journalism.

“As an agency of the Federal Government, the commission, has reached out to the Federal InlandRevenueService (FIRS), another agency of the same government, to ascertain the actual inter-agency claims, to enable the office of the Accountant General of the Federation to effect a direct debit transfer to FIRS , taking into consideration huge income due to NDDC from unpaid Ecological Funds and shortfalls on monthly statutory remittances, as provided for under section 14(2) of the NDDC Establishment Act.

“The alleged issue of diversion of VAT by our Finance Director, as reported by the media is most unfortunate. The distorted and distractive news item is viewed in line with a contrived media campaign orchestrated by some unproductive persons who are bent on getting appointed into another interim management in NDDC.

“The ulterior motives of these individuals are already known; which is to grab an opportunity from the government and use same as ATM for the upcoming 2023 general elections! Nothing about service or value addition.

“The commission hereby advises members of the public to disregard the twisted online news.”