The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to launch a thorough investigation into reports that top government officials and politicians may have deliberately obstructed the release of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) forensic audit report.
The audit, which spans from 2000 to 2019, was commissioned to uncover financial mismanagement, corruption, and administrative failures within the NDDC.
Although the audit was concluded and submitted to the federal government in 2021, its findings have yet to be made public—an issue SERAP says undermines transparency and accountability.
In a statement issued on Sunday, SERAP expressed deep concern that the continued suppression of the report may be a calculated attempt to shield individuals implicated in alleged corrupt practices.
The group warned that such obstruction threatens the pursuit of justice and allows suspects to evade prosecution, thereby deepening public mistrust.
SERAP emphasized that the delay in publication not only denies justice to affected communities in the Niger Delta but also violates Nigeria’s constitutional and international obligations.
Citing Article 25 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), the organization noted that any interference with corruption investigations constitutes a criminal act under international law.
The group called on the Tinubu administration to break the silence surrounding the report, urging the president to make its findings public and ensure that those responsible for mismanagement and corruption are held to account.
According to SERAP, transparency in the handling of the NDDC audit is critical to restoring public confidence, especially for residents of the Niger Delta who have long suffered from poor infrastructure and failed development promises linked to systemic corruption.
As of the time of filing this report, the presidency has not issued an official response to SERAP’s demand.
The forensic audit of the NDDC was ordered in 2020 under the previous administration, with the intention of reforming the commission.
However, more than four years later, the lack of action on the audit’s recommendations continues to raise serious questions about political will and institutional accountability.
