A video of a Nigerian official went viral on social media in which he faked faint after he had been grilled about missing funds in a Parliament session.

Prof Kemebradikumo Pondei who is the acting managing director for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), was being questioned about the missing 536 million nairas - more than Rs260 million - paid to a group associated with the humanitarian organisation “Save Lives Of Niger Delta People”, according to a report in a Zimbabwe’s online portal, iharare.

It can be heard in the video that the speaker of Parliament asked Pondei, “Are you aware that every expenditure you have made from May 31 till date…?”. Suddenly, the individuals around the official realized that something went wrong.

Pondei was seated, crouching forward with his hands folded on the table as if he was about to sleep. He was giving the impression that something was wrong with him. However, he fixed gaze downward and rolled his eyes.

A person seated behind him leapt and reached out to check him, but Pondei was non-responsive. The man then pulled the official, who seemed to have fainted, but his eyes were wide open.

Other officials in the House jumped to him and attempted to revive Pondei. They opened his mouth wide to pull his tongue, so he did not swallow it. At that point, the official realized that it was getting real. He woke up, raised his hands to hold the man who was about to revive him.

In another similar incident in 2020 at the House of Representatives, Pondei was unexpectedly fainted while being questioned by lawmakers.

Pondei, in an interview to Vanguard, disclosed that he had a mysterious and unpredictable health challenge and was stunned people thought he was acting.