A former Managing Director (MD) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Nsima Ekere was arrested on Wednesday by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged fraud to the tune of N47 billion. According to reports, Ekere voluntarily submitted himself to the Commission’s Lagos zonal office.


In 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a forensic audit of the NDDC’s operations from 2001 to 2019.

EFCC claims Ekere diverted funds between 2017 and 2018 when he was the MD of NDDC.

The former NDDC MD was the 2019 Akwa Ibom State governorship candidate under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but lost to Emmanuel Udom of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).