Reps invite MDAs, companies over probe of ‘illegal $2.4bn crude oil sale’

The house of representatives has invited the heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the government over its investigation of the alleged illegal sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil worth $2.4 billion.

The lower chamber said it will also grill oil companies and banks on the matter.

In December 2022, the house had set up an ad hoc committee to investigate a whistleblower’s claims that 48 million barrels of Bonny Light crude was illegally sold in China in 2015.

The committee was also to investigate all crude oil exports and sales by Nigeria from 2014 till date. 

In a notice to invitees on Monday by Mark Gbillah, the ad hoc committee’s chairman, 100 individuals, organisations and groups were invited to the investigative hearing slated for April 11, 2023.

The committee also demanded memoranda from whistleblowers whose alarm had led to recovery of public funds from corrupt individuals and organisations.

Those invited include the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC); Mele Kyari, group chief executive officer, NNPC; the ministry of finance, budget and national planning; Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation; the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission(NUPRC); and Gbenga Komolafe, chief executive, NUPRC.

On the list are oil and telecommunication firms as well as banks such as Dangote Industries Limited/Dangote Refinery, MTN Nigeria Limited, 9Mobile Nigeria Limited, Airtel Nigeria Limited, United Bank for Africa, Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, and Zenith Bank.

Others are Famfa Oil Limited, Seplat Petroleum, Addax Petroleum, Total Energies Chevron, Shell (SNEPCO & SPDC), Sahara Energy Resources, and Conoil.

“In the unlikely event that formal correspondence from the committee does not reach any of those listed above, please consider this publication as a formal invitation to the public hearing,” the notice reads.

“Individuals, agencies, civil society and non-governmental organisations, companies and all other entities who are privy to or have provided whistle-blower information to the Nigerian government about corruption and proceeds of corruption (whether or not such information has led to recovery by the government) are also, hereby, requested to submit memoranda with the following information to the committee’s secretariat.”

During the inauguration of the investigative hearing in December 2022, Gbillah had said the lawmakers will uncover the facts behind allegations which led to the loss of $2.4 billion to the country.

He also said members of the committee will also travel to countries where the whistleblowers reside to get facts on the matter.