From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to order the immediate investigation and prosecution of high-ranking government officials and politicians allegedly implicated in the obstruction of the publication of the forensic audit report on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
In a strongly worded open letter dated July 5, 2025, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization urged the President to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, as well as relevant anti-corruption agencies, to promptly identify and prosecute those who allegedly hindered the release of the damning report.
SERAP emphasized the urgent need to make the full content of the forensic audit public, name and shame those implicated in the alleged mismanagement of over ₦6 trillion, recover looted funds, and compensate victims of systemic corruption in the Niger Delta.
“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 stated.
According to the group, the audit—which covered NDDC operations between 2000 and 2019—has been left to “gather dust” for four years, undermining public trust and denying justice to the people of the Niger Delta who are direct victims of decades of systemic corruption and failed development promises.
Grave Implications of Suppressed Transparency
The organization warned that failing to publish the audit and prosecute the culprits amounts to an obstruction of justice and a betrayal of Nigeria’s anti-corruption commitments under both national and international law.
“Obstructing the release of the forensic audit report or hiding it is a grave and willful attempt to pervert the course of justice for allegations of grand corruption in the NDDC,” the letter read.
SERAP added that justice delayed is justice denied and gave the federal government a 7-day ultimatum to act. If there is no response within the period, the group vowed to institute legal proceedings at the ECOWAS Court of Justice to compel the government to take the necessary steps in the public interest.
Allegations of Misappropriation and Legislative Complicity
The group disclosed that the forensic audit, which reportedly cost the Nigerian government about ₦1.4 billion, unearthed allegations of massive fraud and over 13,000 abandoned projects across the Niger Delta region.
Among the startling revelations, the report allegedly points to a former minister’s wife receiving ₦48 billion in a single year to “train women in the Niger Delta.” It also accuses members of the National Assembly of being beneficiaries of inflated and unexecuted NDDC contracts.
“The missing ₦6 trillion and over 13,000 abandoned projects have had devastating consequences on human rights and access to basic social services such as education, healthcare, and electricity in the Niger Delta,” SERAP noted.
“Public schools have been left to crumble, healthcare facilities are in disrepair, and countless communities lack even the most basic infrastructure.”
The Failure of the Buhari Administration
SERAP criticized former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for failing to act on the report submitted in September 2021, alleging that the government deliberately withheld its publication to shield powerful officials and politicians.
“Although the forensic audit report was submitted four years ago, the Buhari administration failed to publish or act on it—raising suspicions that the audit was never intended to bring transparency but was used as a delay tactic,” the statement said.
The group expressed concern that the continued suppression of the audit report erodes public confidence in anti-corruption efforts and denies justice to millions of Niger Delta residents whose lives remain blighted by failed governance and unfulfilled promises.
Legal and Moral Imperative
Citing Section 15(5) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) and relevant articles of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), SERAP reminded President Tinubu that Nigeria is under legal obligation to abolish all corrupt practices and to impose effective, proportionate, and dissuasive sanctions on perpetrators of grand corruption.
“Publishing the audit report and prosecuting those responsible will not only restore public trust but also serve as a bold signal that your administration is committed to the rule of law, justice, and good governance,” the letter concluded.
SERAP called on the government to demonstrate political will and accountability, noting that the recovery of stolen funds and full implementation of the audit recommendations would directly enhance the lives of Nigerians and restore integrity to public institutions.
As of press time, the Presidency and the Office of the Attorney General had not responded to the letter. SERAP maintains that only swift and decisive action can restore hope for justice and development in the region long plagued by corruption and neglect.
