A/Ibom group seeks investigation into death of NDDC director
Afigh Iwad Eket, a sociopolitical group in Akwa Ibom State has called for a thorough investigation into the death of the Acting Executive Director, Finance of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Late Ibanga Etang.
Etang, a former PresidentGeneral of the group, whose death was linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, died suddenly, leading to the immediate closure of the NDDC office.
In an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and other arms of government, signed by leaders of the group and made available to our correspondent yesterday in Uyo, it called on the president to authorise an independent autopsy to determine the actual cause of the death of Etang.
The group said it suspected foul play and is seeking answers to questions that would shed more light on the death of the deceased.
It described the president as a man of impeccable character and transparency and hoped that he would grant their request for the autopsy.
“One, how come, Hon.
Ibanga Etang died just a few days to the probe of the NDDC by the National Assembly, especially after the Commission had, some weeks ago, admitted that the sensitive documents, which would aid the probe were in the custody of the executive director for finance and administration?
“Two, how come the NDDC was quick to link the death of the acting executive director to the dreaded coronavirus, even before his samples were taken and tested by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)?
“Three, If not NCDC, who was the physician, or in which facility was his samples taken? Four, why were his samples quickly taken the evening after his condition deteriorated, and he was rushed to PortHarcourt in the dead of the night of which he died shortly after arrival?
“Five, what could have been the motive behind the Commission’s hasty decision to take the “precautionary measure of temporarily shutting down its headquarters for two weeks“, without the involvement of the NCDC, if not for the purpose of eventually, attributing the cause of his death to coronavirus?”