‘I have never lifted crude oil’ — Okunbor denies involvement in Diezani’s ‘shady’ deals

Hosa Okunbor, chairman of Ocean Marine Security Limited, has denied any involvement in the “shady” oil contracts involving Diezani Allison-Madueke, a former minister of petroleum resources, and her cronies.

The US department of justice (DOJ) recently filed a civil forfeiture notice to recover funds and property acquired by Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore with proceeds of the contracts obtained from Diezani.

The court documents had also revealed the manner in which Aluko and Omokore compensated Diezani for the favours obtained from her.

Reacting to reports linking him to the deals, Okunbor said he has never been involved in the lifting of crude oil.

He said the business of his company is the transportation of crude oil and that it has nothing to do with any oil-swap deal.

“For the umpteenth time, the report feasted on blatant falsehood and outright lies in relations to my business dealings,” a statement released by Olanrewaju Anjolaoluwa, his media aide, read.

“As this falsehood is being assisted with the ubiquity of social media, it is becoming increasingly clear that maintaining silence further will be misconstrued for consent.

“Ocean Marine Solutions (OMS) Limited was contracted by the NNPC to provide security coverage for the crude oil transportation because of its longstanding ‘sterling reputation in maritime security’. This became imperative after NNPC had offered PPP Fluid Mechanics Limited (his indigenous procurement and oilfield services company) a contract to transport crude from Escravos to Warri refinery when it had become highly uneconomical to transport crude oil between these locations through the pipeline in view of government’s huge expenditure of about $121 million for the maintenance and repairs of the Escravos-Warri broken crude oil pipeline.

“Upon satisfaction by NNPC with the delivery of PPPFM and OMS, the companies were adjudged competent and capable for continued transportation of the crude.”

The statement further said neither Okunbo nor any of his business entities “has ever engaged in any deal requiring lifting the tiniest drop of oil, crude or refined”.

“I am not a trader; I have never submitted nor participated in any “Oil swap” deal, neither do I own a company trading in any petroleum products,” he further said in the statement.

“I have never stood before any administrative, judicial or legislative panels to answer any questions related to any shady deal. I have conducted my businesses with utmost openness, honesty and integrity.”