Amidst the speculated arrest by the security agencies over the alleged coup plot, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, attended a meeting with agricultural stakeholders in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday.

The NDDC 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.

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Speaking at the event, which was televisied, Dr. Samuel 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.

He stated 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.

He said: “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.”

The development comes amid reports that Ogbuku was picked up by security agencies over allegation of transferring a large sum of money to the former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, who who has been accused of financing an alleged coup to topple President Bola Tinubu’s government.

Soldiers had raided the residence of Sylva at the weekend, over the incident that the military authorities and Federal Government have refused to publicly comment about.