
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has told President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a presidential panel of enquiry to promptly probe the allegations that over 149 million barrels of crude oil were missing, as documented in the 2019 audited reports by the Auditor General of the Federation and Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
SERAP also said he should ensure the effective prosecution of anyone suspected to be responsible for the plundering of the country’s oil wealth and the full recovery of any proceeds of crime.
According to the 2019 audited report by the Auditor General over 107 million barrels of crude oil were lifted as domestic crude without any document or tracing. NEITI also reported missing 42.25 million barrels of crude oil in 2019.
In a statement made available to newsmen by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, “There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these very serious allegations.”
SERAP said, “The recommended steps can be taken between now and the end of your term of office to set the tone for the next administration.”