How Ogbuku, the recently appointed managing director of the NDDC, was detained in 2014 on suspicion of murder and charged by the EFCC with multibillion-naira fraud

Ogbuku was picked up on April 24 at about 7 p.m. along the Igbogene axis of the state capital, Yenagoa after attending a burial at Otuasega area of Bayelsa.

In 2014, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, was arrested for alleged murder by personnel of the Bayelsa State Police Command.

Ogbuku was picked up on April 24 at about 7 p.m. along the Igbogene axis of the state capital, Yenagoa after attending a burial at Otuasega area of Bayelsa.

He was accused of being involved in an assassination attempt on the life of Chief Timi Alaibe, where six persons were killed in Opokuma.

Ogbuku spent many months in detention until he was granted bail by a Bayelsa State High Court.

Documents seen by SaharaReporters also showed that the new NDDC boss was arraigned in 2012 before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over alleged N19.2 billion fraud.

Others accused include former governor of Bayelsa State and Minister of State of Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, Francis Okuburo, Gbenga S. Balogun, Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited and Haloween Blue Construction and Logistics Limited.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had in a suit numbered HC/ABJ/CR/23/2012, claimed that Ogbuku, Sylva and the others fraudulently obtained N4 billion loans from Union Bank under the guise of using them to augment workers’ salaries.

The EFCC also alleged that the accused persons had in the same period converted properties and resources of the Bayelsa government amounting to N2 billion to personal use, and another N380 million worth of government property through a Fin Bank account with number 221433478108 belonging to one Habibu Maigida, a bureau de change operator on January 22, 2010.

It further said that Sylva, Ogbuku and his accomplices on February 5, 2010, converted N50 million of the state’s funds through a First Bank account with number 6152030001946 of Enson Benmer Ltd.

The EFCC said the offences contravene the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004.

Meanwhile, a Niger Delta group, Niger Delta Rescue Movement has petitioned the Department of State Services over the past records of the new NDDC MD.

“In lieu to the publications and notices that emanated as a result of the NDDC nomination list that was read on the floor of Senate on the 23rd of November, 2022,” the petition signed by Idengimowei Liverpool, secretary of the group read.

“It is no longer in secret that the president has nominated Lauretta Onochie and 15 others to the board of the NDDC with Sammy Ogbuku as managing director nominee. We thank the president for the nomination, but we are raising a serious red flag as to who becomes the managing director of the NDDC, the interventionist agency is saddled with the responsibility of the development of the Niger Delta with so much funds allotted to the agency.

“The position of the managing director should be given to a person who reflects the true spirit of fairness, equity, accountability and transparency at all times and not to a person with corrupt blood flowing through his veins. It is on this premise we want to draw your attention to the reasons why Sammy Ogbuku should not be screened as the managing director nominee of the NDDC.

“In 2012, the EFCC established a two-billion-naira case against Sammy Ogbuku and he was arraigned before a federal high court sitting in Abuja.

“In 2011 Sammy Ogbuku was tied to the assassination attempt on the life of Chief Timi Alaibi where six persons were killed in Opokuma, which led to his detention in prison for months.

“In 2008 Sammy Ogbuku and three (3) others were arrested by the EFCC for the diversion of five hundred million meant for the state security outfit.

“In 2014 Sammy Ogbuku and three (3) others were arrested by the EFCC for using three (3) companies (Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited and Haloween-Blue Construction and Logistics Ltd) to Siphon Nineteen Billion, Two Million naira from the Bayelsa State treasury.

“A man with these corruption charges should not be allowed to be managing director. Please use your good office to save our dying Niger Delta region.”