Malami, Zainab Ahmed, Summoned Over Alleged $2.4 Billion Oil Fraud

Abubakar Malami, the attorney general, and Zainab Ahmed, the minister of finance, have been called before the House of Representatives.

48 million barrels of crude oil were allegedly sold illegally between 2014 and 2015, according to a $2.4 billion revenue investigation.

The ad hoc committee investigating the illegal crude oil sale issued the summon on Tuesday after Mr. Malami and Ms. Ahmed failed to appear before the panel.

“This is a formal request from the committee that the minister and others should appear before this committee because they have received a formal invitation to do so,” said the committee chairman, Rep. Mark Gbillah.

Mr. Gbillah said the committee was looking at the issues that had to do with allegations of 48 million crude oil barrels sold in China.

“There have been allegations of the AGF being also involved in receiving funds from outside the country without these funds being remitted into the federation account in line with the provisions of the constitution.

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“There are allegations that expenditure of these recoveries have also been done in complete violation of the provisions of the constitution,” Mr. Gbillah said.

Those who appeared before the committee included the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), Oriental Energy, and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

What House of Reps is saying

Meanwhile, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said the investigation was not witch-hunting. Adding that it is a constitutional responsibility within the legislative powers of the house as enshrined in sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution.

He said in the light of dwindling revenue accruing to Nigeria from crude oil sales. It was alarming to learn, from a whistleblower, of allegations that over $2.4 billion in possible revenue for the country was lost.

The speaker said the recommendation of the ad hoc committee would guide the house in making an informed decision in considering the Whistleblower Bill currently before it.

 

(NAN)