Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has begun investigation into the embezzlement of misappropriation of funds at the Niger Delta Development Commission as top staff were interrogated by the anti-graft agency.

Some directors and top staff of the NDDC were invited and quizzed over their involvement in the release, sharing and diversion of N5.474bn meant for the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment for health workers handling the COVID-19 pandemic in the nine states of the Niger Delta.

This was confirmed in a statement signed by the ICPC spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua.

The ICPC said the interrogation was done after petitions were received from Nigerians and months of intelligence gathering.

The ICPC said it was also investigating selling of back-dated contract award letters and payments of millions of naira to staff of the agency for foreign trainings during the COVID-19 lockdown which were never attended.

“Some directors of NDDC were interrogated at the commission’s headquarters recently.

Top officials of the agency are being investigated for their complicity in an alleged payments of millions of naira to staff of the agency for foreign trainings during the COVID-19 lockdown which were never attended, as well as the non-payment of entitlements to students on foreign scholarships.

“Other allegations being investigated by ICPC include the selling of back-dated contract award letters for projects and awards of contracts that were not captured in the budget of the NDDC,” the ICPC said.

The anti-graft agency stated that it had retrieved relevant documents with which to continue investigations towards the recovery of diverted funds and prosecution of breaches of the law.