By Abiola Olawale
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday grilled a former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Wabote, over alleged involvement in $35 million fraud.
It was gathered that Wabote was interrogated by the anti-graft agency over the failed Brass Project in Bayelsa State.
The EFCC is said to be investigating Wabote on alleged ties to misappropriation scandal involving public funds allocated for a refinery and infrastructure project intended to boost local energy capabilities in the Niger Delta region but were allegedly stolen.
This comes after the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, Akintoye Adeoye Akindele was arrested over the failed Brass Project for which about $35m was said to have been paid upfront by the NCDMB when Wabote held sway as the Executive Secretary.
Akindele is currently facing charges of alleged money laundering, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds.
As part of the investigation, the EFCC was said to summoned Wabote to shed light on the project and provide more insights into the unexpected projects.
Under Wabote’s leadership, the NCDMB reportedly provided counterpart funding of $35 million to support the development of an Energy Infrastructure Park in the Okpoama Community, Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.
According to sources, the project was meant to include a refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre, and tank farm designed to process 2,000 barrels of oil per day.
However, investigations and on the spot data show that the project was abandoned in December 2020 with minimal progress made, despite the significant funds already expended by the federal government.
The New Diplomat reports that Wabote’s tenure as NCDMB Executive Secretary began in 2016 and ended in 2023.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that Wabote, who arrived at the Abuja headquarters of the anti-graft agency at about 2 pm on Tuesday, left the facility in the evening after being quizzed for several hours.
