Reps summon finance minister, SGF, NNPCL over $2.4bn oil loss

The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Oil Theft has summoned the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, and the Secretary General of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, over the loss of over $2.4 billion in revenue from illegal sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil export in 2015.

The House of Reps also summoned the acting Accountant General of the Federation, Sylva Okolieaboh, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), among others.

The lawmakers made the summon at plenary in Abuja on Tuesday, April 11.

The committee, while expressing concern over the disparity in figures from crude oil sales from 2011 to 2014, said the Minister of Finance approved payments to whistle-blowers in variance with the whistle-blower policy.

The ad hoc committee is investigating a whistle-blower’s allegation of illegal sale of 48 million barrels of Nigeria’s bonny light crude in China in 2015, valued at $2.4 billion.

The committee, in February 2023, accused the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and Interpol on what it described as interference in the committee’s investigation.

The committee questioned why a whistle-blower would be invited by Interpol on the request of the Ministry of Justice just after the commencement of the investigation of the House.

However, the Head of the National Central Bureau of Interpol Nigeria, Garba Umar, said the Bureau only acted on the request of the AGF.

The Chairman, House Ad hoc Committee on Oil Theft, Mark Gbillah, said: “There is a group called Advocacy for Good Governance and Free Nigeria.

“That is the so-called Civil Society Organisation that wrote to the Attorney General claiming there was this international gang of blackmailers trying to blackmail senior officials of the government.

“How come the Attorney General responded to allegations by a faceless body? That means the Attorney General himself did not ascertain the veracity of any organisation.”

The committee, dissatisfied with the submission of Interpol, accused the AGF of interfering with the investigation of the House.

The committee expressed concern over the safety of the whistleblower, saying the Ministry of Justice should not be making direct requests to Interpol but should go through the police.

It added that Interpol by law is only expected to respond to requests by local law enforcement agencies.

The Star

Segun Ojo