By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Dantsoho Abubakar, has been accused of failing to honor an agreement brokered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged ₦57 billion contract diversion.
A contractor, Mr. Emmanuel Otokpa, alleged in a statement made available to journalists at the weekend that despite assurances from NPA and EFCC in 2024 that parts of the disputed contract—valued at ₦25 billion—would be re-awarded to his companies, nothing has been done to date.
According to him, the original contract, awarded in 2022 through the office of the then Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), covered projects in institutions including the College of Education Argungu in Kebbi State and Kaduna State University.
Otokpa claimed that although award letters were issued under former NPA Managing Director, Mohammed Bello Koko, the funds were siphoned before the change of government in 2023. He noted that up till now, neither mobilization funds nor the original award letters have been released to his companies, yet NPA engineers requested him to fund Bill of Quantity and costing exercises, which he did, with the promise of contract re-award.
The contractor further alleged that despite petitions submitted to the EFCC, the Presidency, the Inspector-General of Police, and the DSS, the matter has been ignored. He accused former Attorney-General Malami, his Special Assistant Nafiu Yakubu Lugga, and ex-MD Bello Koko of diverting the funds.
He lamented that this was a clear case of fraud and diversion, questioning why the law is only applied to the poor, while top officers implicated in multi-billion naira scams continue to walk free. According to him, Nigerians have witnessed people jailed for far less, yet nothing is being done in this ₦57 billion scandal.
Otokpa also expressed disappointment in the current NPA boss, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, alleging that he is deliberately frustrating efforts to resolve the matter despite earlier commitments to re-award the contracts.
He appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the EFCC Chairman, civil society groups, and human rights organizations to urgently intervene, probe those implicated, and ensure the contracts are executed for the benefit of Nigerian youths. He warned that the money was meant for the development of educational institutions and insisted that if not addressed urgently, the scandal will continue to haunt the country for years.
