Alleged $17bn stolen crude: NNPC, Customs, NIMASA, others have cases to answer, says Reps’ panel
Published May 1, 2017
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Members of the House of Representatives at plenary
John Ameh, Abuja
No fewer than 76 organisations , including International Oil Companies , still have queries to answer over the alleged export of $ 17 bn undeclared crude and gas resources from the country between 2011 and 2014 , The PUNCH learnt on Sunday .
Among them are key government agencies like the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ; the Department of Petroleum Resources; the Nigerian Ports Authority ; the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency ; and the Nigeria Customs Service .
At least , 50 oil companies have either not made attempt to respond to inquiries on the issues or have completely shunned the investigative panel set up by the House of Representatives .
An ad hoc committee of the House is investigating the alleged theft .
Findings by The PUNCH showed that the committee , which is chaired by a member of the All Progressives Congress from Adamawa State , Mr . Abdulrazak Namdas , had so far received unsatisfactory replies from the NNPC, the DPR and other agencies .
A report of the committee, analysing the response level of agencies and IOCs , showed for instance that the NNPC would be “ re - invited” because the documents it submitted to the committee did not convincingly address the crude and gas theft .
The report , which The PUNCH obtained in Abuja on Sunday , stated , “ DPR to come back with DG and operational manager .
“ NPA to come back with MD /management officers .
“ Central Bank of Nigeria was excused ; it will be re- invited . ”
A second category of agencies are tagged by the committee as “agencies that did not attend ” its public hearing on the alleged theft .
Top on the list are NIMASA , the NCS , National Petroleum Investment Management Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Molecular Power Systems Limited .
The report also indicated that many IOCs , summoned by the committee , either did not supply the required documents or were unable to defend their submissions .
As a result, it was gathered that the committee turned them away and fixed a re - appearance date .
For instance , the report stated that Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited was directed to “ bring record of tax payments and other documents ” covering the period under investigation .
It added , “ ExxonMobil , dismissed for lack of competent delegate .
“ Sahara Energy Resources Limited to provide evidence of tax payment .
“ Chevron Nigeria Limited dismissed for lack of competent delegate.
“ Oando Trading Limited to come back with evidence of profit tax payment and others. ”
Among the 50 companies that did not appear at all are Shell Western Supply and Trading ; AITEO Energy Resources Limited ; AITEO Eastern Exploration and Production Limited ; Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited ; and Total Upstream Production Limited .
Others are Petrobras; Trafigura ; SNEPCO ; Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy ; Consolidated Oil