𝗡6.5𝗯𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗯𝗼 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹: 𝗡𝗗𝗗𝗖 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝗖𝗙 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗺 𝗧𝗼 𝗡𝗗𝗗𝗖, 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗲 𝗢𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁.

𝐁𝐘 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐓𝐀 𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄,

𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐚, 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚.

Fresh pressure is mounting on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the abandoned Arogbo–Agadagba Obon bridge project in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State amid growing allegations of contract abandonment, financial misconduct and possible diversion of public funds linked to the multi-billion naira project.

The renewed calls followed recent petitions and protests by youths and stakeholders in the Niger Delta region demanding accountability over the controversial project reportedly awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to Picollo Brunelli Engineering Limited around 2011/2012 at the cost of N6.5 billion.

The bridge project, designed to connect Arogbo Township and neighboring riverine communities to Agadagba Obon, has remained abandoned for over a decade despite reports that mobilization funds were paid to the contractor.

The latest demand for investigation came as the Ijaw Consultative Forum Worldwide accused the NDDC and contractors linked to the project of failing the people of Arogbo Kingdom and leaving residents trapped in economic hardship, poor transportation and infrastructural neglect.

Speaking through its National Coordinator, Mr. Suffy Uguoji, the group called for the immediate revocation and re-award of the contract to a competent construction company capable of delivering the project without further delay.

The forum also urged anti-corruption agencies to investigate the handling of funds allocated to the project, insisting that the people deserve transparency and justice after years of abandonment.

This development comes barely days after Arogbo youths formally petitioned the EFCC to launch a full-scale investigation into the stalled bridge project and all officials connected to its execution.

In the petition, President of the Arogbo Ijaw Youth Forum, Comrade Kpainko Thaddeus, alongside concerned citizen Pharm. Allen Seiosuwowei Ebi, described the abandoned bridge as a symbol of “broken promises, administrative negligence and possible corruption.”

The petitioners alleged that although preliminary work was carried out years ago, including site clearing, demolition of buildings and payment of compensation to some affected residents, the project was suddenly abandoned without explanation from either the NDDC or the contractor.

According to the youths, credible information suggests that substantial public funds may have been released for the project despite the absence of meaningful work on ground.

The petition further urged the EFCC to investigate possible cases of contract inflation, diversion of public funds, abuse of office and other financial irregularities connected to the bridge project.

Findings showed that concerns over the abandoned project are not new. As far back as 2017, stakeholders and community groups had reportedly called on the Federal Government to probe the bridge contract after alleging that mobilization fees were paid while the project remained abandoned.

Similarly, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) had in previous interventions appealed to the NDDC to urgently revisit the abandoned project, describing the bridge as critical to the economic survival and integration of Arogbo Kingdom and surrounding riverine communities.

Community leaders said the prolonged abandonment of the bridge has worsened economic isolation in the area, increased transportation costs and discouraged investors from accessing the riverine communities.

Residents lamented that many visitors and business operators often terminate their journeys at Agadagba Obon because of the absence of a bridge linking the area to Arogbo Township, forcing travelers to depend on expensive and risky water transportation.

The Ijaw Consultative Forum warned that unless the NDDC resumes work on the project before the end of July, affected communities may stage peaceful mass protests at the commission’s offices to demand explanations and immediate action.

The group also appealed to the Ondo State Government and the Ondo representative on the NDDC board, Hon. Otito Atikase, to facilitate urgent intervention toward reviving the abandoned project.

The controversy surrounding the Arogbo–Agadagba Obon bridge has once again reignited public concerns over abandoned projects across the Niger Delta, with civil society groups and youths insisting that anti-corruption agencies must hold public officials and contractors accountable for projects allegedly funded with taxpayers’ money but left uncompleted for years.