BREAKING: NDDC Director Who Died Amid Forensic Audit, Probe Tests Negative For COVID-19

Information reaching BIGPEN indicates that the COVID-19 test result of Mr Ibanga Bassey Etang, Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who died on Thursday morning has returned negative.

NDDC management had shut down its operation for two weeks over reported COVID-19 scare shortly after the death of executive director of the Commission.

BIGPEN had earlier reported that it was not clear if the Executive Director who reportedly died Thursday morning was a coronavirus patient but NDDC announced shut down of operations with immediate effect, with a directive for staff to go into self-Isolation in a statement signed by Silas Anyanwu.

BIGPEN reports that NDDC is enmeshed with series of scandals of financial impropriety running into billions of naira and currently undergoing forensic audit ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The report says the Acting Director died on Thursday amidst the Forensic Audit of the Commission and probe of alleged financial misappropriation by the present Interim Management Committee of NDDC by National Assembly.

The order to shut down operations for fumigation works have triggered scare of outbreak of deadly coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the headquarters.

Investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, who first confirmed the death of the commission’s director on his Twitter handle, on Friday afternoon said the deceased Ibanga Bassey Etang has tested negative for COVID-19.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the result of the COVId-19 test on Ibanga Bassey Etang, the Acting ED Finance of the NDDC who died yesterday morning, is out. It’s negative!

“Can the NDDC now please reopen its headquarters for business, including the ongoing probe?

Meanwhile, the group, Act for Positive Transformation Initiative which petitioned the National Assembly of the fraud allegations rocking the commission had earlier raised the alarm of attempt to cover up misdeeds in the commission.

The group in a statement on Thursday signed by Kolawole Johnson, Head, Directorate of Research, Strategy & Programmes (ACT) entitled “NDDC PROBE: NO COVER UP had called on security agencies to immediately commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the Acting Executive Director and reported sudden closure of the commission amidst corruption scandal rocking it.

“We had earlier raised alarm in the early hours of the day on a rumored satanic scheme to weave the death of the Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the commission around COVID-19 in order for members to proceed on isolation, shut the office and frustrate the ongoing probe”, they wrote.