From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, on Thursday, addressed agricultural stakeholders in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, amid widespread social media reports alleging his arrest by security agencies.
The engagement, which formed part of a two-day strategic meeting preparatory to the forthcoming Niger Delta Agricultural Summit, attracted Commissioners for Agriculture and Permanent Secretaries from all nine Niger Delta states, as well as representatives from key agricultural agencies and private sector partners.
In his address, Dr. Ogbuku urged stakeholders in the region to begin a conscious shift from dependence on crude oil to a diversified economy anchored on agriculture, stressing that agriculture remains the most viable path to achieving food security, job creation, and sustainable regional development.
“The Niger Delta must look beyond oil. Agriculture holds the key to our economic transformation and long-term stability. Through collaborative planning and targeted investments, we can unlock the enormous potential of our farmlands and create sustainable livelihoods for our people,” Ogbuku stated.
He emphasized that the NDDC under his leadership was already implementing programmes that integrate agricultural innovation, agribusiness incubation, and youth empowerment to drive inclusive growth across the region.
Meanwhile, former House of Representatives member and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Yekini Nabena, has dismissed the reports of Ogbuku’s alleged arrest as false, mischievous, and politically motivated.
Nabena described the viral reports as a desperate attempt by political detractors to distract the NDDC boss from his reform agenda, noting that Dr. Ogbuku had been publicly visible and actively engaged in official functions.
“We woke up yesterday to see some fabricated social media reports that Dr. Sam Ogbuku was arrested. For what reason? This morning, he was live in Port Harcourt speaking at the ongoing agricultural summit, which was broadcast on two national television stations. This should put the purveyors of fake news to shame,” Nabena said.
He called on the public to ignore the rumour, describing Dr. Ogbuku as “one of the most trusted and reliable hands in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope administration.”
The APC chieftain added that the NDDC boss remains committed to implementing President Tinubu’s developmental blueprint in the Niger Delta, particularly through policies promoting self-reliance, food sufficiency, and youth productivity.
The rumours of Ogbuku’s alleged arrest surfaced on social media shortly after unconfirmed reports of a military raid on the Abuja residence of former Bayelsa State Governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva. Some online platforms had speculated a link between both events — a claim now debunked as unfounded and baseless.
With Thursday’s public appearance and strategic engagements in Port Harcourt, stakeholders say the episode further underscores the urgent need for responsible information dissemination and caution against politically driven fake news
