In recent years, Nigeria has witnessed an increase in the cases of oil theft. The NNPC earlier reported that the country was losing about 470,000 barrels of crude oil every month. There has been evident micro and macro impacts, as over $3.3 billion has been lost due to this circumstance. Nigeria’s House of Representatives have however promised to unravel the details of the alleged theft and illegal sale of about 48 million barrels of crude oil which resulted in the loss of about $2.4 billion. This resolution was reached on Thursday by the members of the House Ad-hoc committee which was led by Rep. Mark Gbillah.
Gbillah ascertained that the committee was working to investigate the crude oil sales from year 2014 till date, as well as the whistleblower information & recoveries, and the expenditures of these recoveries. He pointed out that the committee had recordings and photographs of the meetings, documentation that indicate e-mail trails and bank statements of influential figures in relation to this case. The committee further stated that some of the key informants had been threatened and thus appealed to Nigerians and the media to be more objective in regards to this issue and provide needed support to the committee.
Inauguration is a clear indication of the House’s transparency.
He indicated that the decision to inaugurate this committee evidently showed the House’s transparency in regards to investigating the truth of this situation. Rep. Gbillah again noted that one of the allegations was made by a whistleblower, who alleged that the country’s crude oil in China was being diverted and sold by certain governmental figures in the country’s oil cooperation. The whistleblower also included that the cohorts who had abetted these governmental figures were either in the country’s security agencies or other positions of authority in the country.
With the committee taking without levity, issues of great allegations, the House owed it to Nigerians to overtly unravel the facts of this case in line with the constitution before making further assertions. He said that obviously, the committee would have to arrive at a conclusion, making provisions for substantive report to be recorded and determine the legitimacy of this matter. He however added that those who made these allegations would first be interviewed. Due to the threats faced by some of these witnesses, Gbillah said that they would have to travel out to countries like the United States and China for the interviews.
President Buhari’s whistleblowing policy applauded, despite inefficiency.
Continuing on he emphasized that this case was not one to be handled with levity by the House, as the leadership in the House was in total support of investigating the truth of this issue. This, he noted was a clear indication that the House’s seriousness in handling cases concerning the commonwealth of the country. Importantly, he disclosed that an American citizen who was allegedly privy to this situation was presently at the Ikoyi prison over infractions committed in the country. He however insinuated that the crimes leveled against him was not far off that of this particular situation.
He ascertained that his incarceration was for an important reason, as no country would condone illegalities from its nationals and as such, his allegations were not unconnected with the revelations as to this matter. He stated that there were other whistleblowers who were in hiding but were constantly in touch with the committee. He applauded President Buhari’s administration for its efforts at enacting the whistleblowing policy but admitted that the unsuccessful efforts of the policy had been as a result of the lack of protection for whistleblowers.
Gbillah appeals to Nigerians to support committee’s investigation.
The Committee Chairman however appealed to international partners of Nigeria, the United States and government of China and Mexico to collaborate with the committee in obtaining important fact to help this issue such as the location of these crude oil sales, those involved, as well as the abetters involved. Upon indicating the existence of evidences tying top figures to this case, he appealed with Nigerians to further support the committee’s efforts at investigating this case.
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House to unravel alleged 48m crude oil theft. – Nigeria reportedly losing over 470,000 barrels of crude oil every month. – Express your point of view.
House to unravel alleged 48m crude oil theft. Oil theft and who are the thieves they refuse to tell us because more of this politicans are part of this thieves that is why. If it was to be ordinary people the will make it open
We are losing so much crude oil to theft, crude oil theft as been an long issue and problem we are fighting and yet to overcome something should be done to stop this so we can stop losing crude oil
The House owed it to Nigerians to openly investigate this situation in accordance with the constitution before making any further claims.
The committee has taken on serious matters involving serious claims, and the House owes it to the people of Nigeria to openly unravel the facts of this case in accordance with the constitution before making any further assertions.
There has been a rise in the number of reported occurrences of oil theft in Nigeria. Earlier this year, the NNPC stated that significant amounts of crude oil were leaking out of the country each month.
Committee members were looking into everything from crude oil sales in 2014 to the present to whistleblower information and recoveries to the use of those funds.
Threats were made against some of the committee’s most valuable sources, thus they asked Nigerians and the media to treat this story with more objectivity.
The openness of the House of Representatives was plainly demonstrated when it made the decision to establish this committee in order to investigate the reality of the issue.
Everything from crude oil sales in 2014 to the present, to whistleblower information and recovery, to the application of those monies was under scrutiny by the committee.
Because no nation can tolerate illegal activity from its own citizens, his incarceration was necessary and for a good purpose.
united states of america, the government of china, and the government of mexico to work together with the committee in order to acquire essential facts that will aid with this matter such as the location of these crude oil sales, those who were involved, etc.
The United States and government of China and Mexico should support and collaborate with the committee in obtaining important fact to help this issue such as the location of these crude oil sales, I am really looking forward to this.
About 470,000 barrels of crude oil that the country was losing every month due to crude oil theft and vandalisation is huge and most be stopped and corrected for the country to maximize profits.
The major problem responsible for the crude oil theft is the high level of corruption in the system. It encourages this activity.Nigeria reportedly losing over 470,000 barrels of crude oil every month is much. Necessary steps should be taken to resolve this.
Something needs to be done to stop the massive amounts of crude oil that are being stolen every year. This problem has been plaguing us for quite some time, and we have yet to find a solution.
Much of our crude oil is being stolen, and this has been a problem that we have struggled with for a long time without finding a satisfactory solution to.
The House owed it to Nigerians to openly unravel the facts of this case in accordance with the constitution before making any further pronouncements since the committee had taken seriously serious allegations.
Since crude oil theft is a serious problem that we have been battling for a while but have not yet fully resolved, something needs to be done to halt it so that we can stop losing crude oil.
The crude oil theft us really a bad thing. There is need to stop this conundrum from happening. I hope things are looked into it very well.