INVESTIGATIONS... Security Operatives Quizz Cross River Basin Devt Authority M/D, Nkposong, Over Alleged Missing 8 Tractors, Bulldozer ...As group Calls for EFCC, ICPC Investigations
Ndifereke BASSEY
Detectives of Cross River State Police Command have quizzed
the Managing Director of Cross River Basin Development Authority, (CRBDA) Engr. Bassey Nkposong, over alleged missing of about 8 tractors at the premises, THE BEAGLE NEWS can authouritatively reveal.
The police investigation is coming barely three months to the end of Nkposong's two tern tenure in December even as rumours are making the rounds that the M/D is lobbying for extension of tenure.
THE BEAGLE NEWS gathered the disappearance of a tractor with model number MF275, which was allegedly removed from the parking lot of the Authority at 8 Miles, Calabar by yet-to-be identified persons, has led to opening of can of worms over the disappearances of other eight tractors and a bulldozer from the place.
It was learnt that when he took over from Mrs Eyo Ita, Cross River Basin Authority had over fifteen equipment ranging from tractors to bulldozers and payloaders but today there is no single functional equipment in the place.
Engr Nkposong was invited by the police to explain circumstances surrounding the removal of the tractor allegedly on his directives on the night of 6/10/23 which has not been returned.
The removal of the tractor has brought to nine the number of tractors removed from the parking lot of the Authority allegedly on the instructions of Nkposong.
Sources close the Basin authority revealed that before the removal of MF 257, eight other tractors were removed between 2018 and 2022 and allegedly taken to Wodah in Ijegwu, Yala local government area, Bansara in Ogoja local government area and Ochon in Obubra local government area where the CRBDA has projects but after several years those tractors are yet to be returned or sighted on those project locations.
The Country Director of Rescue Support Initiative, Barr. Ayei Okpa, had raised the alarm that the tractors have been removed to unknown places, adding that they have cncludes plans to petition the Economic and Financial Crmes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to hold Nkposong to account for the missing equipment and other infractions in the Basin.
"To tell you that Nkposong is behind the missing tractors, when the police was invited to investigate the whereabout of MF 275 which is the most recent tractor to be taken out of CRBDA, it was discovered that the tractor was at Engineer Nkposong's farm at Anyaghanse in Akpabuyo local government area.
He alleged that a staff of CRBDA, Mr Christopher Michael Obong, who works for Engr Nkposong at his farm, and a supervisor at the farm, Saviour Etang Ubi, were arrested by the police .
"The police are investigating where the tractor is because the bucket which is a major component of the tractor was found in Nkposong"s farm".
He said to cover up Nkposong's complicity in the missing tractor, a Principal Works Superintendent
at the Basin Authority, Mission Daniel Udo, was made a scapegoat by CRBDA management who accused him of being behind the Tractor's removal and immediately set the process rolling for his prosecution before a Chief Magistrates Court in Calabar in Suit No.MC/188C/2024-COP.V.Mission Daniel Udo.
"Mission, who is the operator of the tractor, was siad to walking past the parking lot of the Cross River Basin Authority on the evening of October 6, 2023 when he saw some persons gathered at the parking lot and he went close and was told that some young men armed with a letter written by Umannah went to take MF 275 and he advised that the Chief Security Officer should take the men to Engineer Umoren the Deputy Director Works to confirm if actually the men are acting under the directives of the MD.
Engr.Umoren directed the Chief Security officer, who was with the letter to make a copy of the said letter available to Mr Udo and retain the original for record purpose but since it was lat
