The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has responded to allegations involving one of its staff members and a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Kyari Dikwa. It was reported that Aisha Sadiq Odariko, a manager at NDIC, and Dr. Dikwa allegedly hoarded $76 million in a house in Apo District, Abuja. However, the NDIC has clarified that the reported incident is unrelated to the Corporation’s operations.
According to preliminary investigations, the staff member in question had previously worked as an account officer for Dr. Dikwa while employed at a commercial bank before joining NDIC in 2017. Odariko has denied involvement in any improper financial transactions during her tenure at NDIC.
In a statement, the NDIC expressed its commitment to uncovering the truth and addressing the matter responsibly. The Corporation maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards financial impropriety and upholds the highest ethical standards in its corporate governance practices.
The media reports from 2020 alleged that $76 million cash was kept in a house in Apo District, which was later identified as Dr. Dikwa’s office. It was claimed that scrap metal scavengers, searching for COVID-19 palliatives, discovered the cash and made away with $4 million.