The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee to Investigate Alleged Loss of Over $2.4bn in Revenue from Illegal Sale of 48 Million Barrels of Crude in 2015 Including Crude Oil Export from 2014 Till Date, is to write the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the Directorate of Public Prosecution to demand details of the case against some whistle-blowers.
The Chairman of the committee, Merk Gbillah, decried the alleged harassment and pursuit of whistle-blowers who exposed the alleged illegal oil sales by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and INTERPOL, asking why the ministry, the DPP and the security agencies decided to reopen the abandoned case after the lawmakers commenced their investigation.
However, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, who denied the allegation, asked the committee to forward its enquiries to the justice ministry and the DPP.
The House had on December 20, 2022, resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee to investigate a whistle-blower’s allegation of illegal sale of 48 million barrels of Nigeria’s Bonny Light crude in China in 2015 and the insurance status of the cargo.
The committee is also to investigate all crude oil exports and sales by Nigeria from 2014 to date, with regards to quantity, insurance, revenue generated, remittances into the Federation Account or other accounts as well as utilisation of the revenue for the period under review.
In addition, the panel will investigate all proceeds recovered through the Whistle-Blowers Policy of the regime led by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and the level of compliance by the policy.
These resolutions followed the unanimous adoption of a motion moved by a member of the House, Ibrahim Isiaka, titled ‘Alleged Loss of over $2.4Billion in Revenue from Illegal Sale of 48 Million Barrels of Crude Oil Export in 2015, Including Crude Oil Exports from 2014 till Date.’
