Malami dismisses alleged loss of $2.4bn crude oil sale to China
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, has dismissed allegations of loss of $2.4 billion on sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil in China as baseless.
Malami stated this, yesterday, when he appeared before the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating alleged sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil amounting to over $2.4 billion and crude oil export from the country from 2014 to date.
The AGF told lawmakers that his office had filed a criminal suit against those who raised the allegations, which the panel was investigating. He argued that the probe of the alleged oil theft was unconstitutional and sub judice.
He said: “Let me state on record and for the benefit of Nigerians and the committee that the allegations relating to the 48 million barrels are baseless. The allegation is unfounded. It lacks merit and, indeed, substance.
“The allegation, in its own right, is devoid of any reasonable ground pointing to a material suspicion cogent enough to invoke the constitutional oversight of the committee. Why do I say so? Sometimes in 2016, allegations were rife and hyped in the social media. There were allegations of the existence of stolen 48 million barrels of Nigerian crude in China said to have been valued at 2.4 billion.
“President Muhammadu Buhari informally requested the Attorney-General, making reference to my humble person, Mele Kyari, Lawal Daura, former DG of DSS, and late Abba Kyari; to look into it and advise. But, unfortunately, for there to be a reasonable ground for suspicion, at least, you require certain basic facts.
“If you are talking of a product, you cannot establish the substance relating thereto, without confirming the origin of the purported product in China. If you talk about a product in China, is it of Nigerian origin? That can be ascertained by sample and specifications. Is it Bonny Light, for example, which you know emanates from Nigeria, or what is it?
“The basic details of the existence of the product and connecting it to Nigeria was not there at all. If you are talking of a product, the vessel, perhaps, that has taken it; what are the particulars and details of the vessel that were not available at our disposal at all?
“Which authority is it that has taken custody of the product? There was no information at all. So the issue is simple. There were no reasonable grounds for suspicion of the fact that the purported oil product either exists in spirit or in fact or in, indeed, exists in China — and it is in no way connected to Nigeria. And all efforts on our part to get details have proven abortive.
“So, we could not establish the substance in the allegation; because detailed information to confirm the existence and origin of the shipment, such as sample of the oil, vessel involved loading point etc, location of the crude in China etc were not provided.
“So, we reported to the president that we were unable to confirm the veracity of the allegation, hence, no further action was taken by my office.”
The minister, while responding to questions on funds recovered based on whistleblowers’ alarm, and their disbursement, explained that all payments are made by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, which coordinates the whistleblower policy.
“It should be noted that whistle blowing thrives on confidentiality and protection of information. Therefore, disclosure of the details of whistle blowers at a public hearing breaches the confidentiality provision of which the office of the attorney general was committed to on the account of personal security and national security,” he stated.
Furthermore, Malami explained that his ministry was not in custody of any of the funds it recovered in the last six years.
“The office of the attorney general was instrumental in 2017 in the recovery of $322 million. Where is the money? The money was lodged into the assets recovery account of the federal government opened at the instance of the federal ministry of finance by the request of the office of attorney general, maintained by the office of the accountant general in CBN’s custody. No account is being operated or maintained by the office of the attorney general.
“Again, in 2020, the office of attorney general was instrumental in the recovery of $311.4 million from Benwick Jazzy US and UK. That money was lodged into the asset recovery account of the federal government maintained in the Central Bank, opened at the instance of the federal ministry of finance and the office of the accountant general. No body in the office of the attorney general was a signatory or responsible for the operation and coordination of the account.
“Again, there was an additional amount of $5.4 million recovered in 2020 from Northern Ireland relating to Abacha. The said amount was lodged into the asset recovery account of the federal government being maintained at the Central Bank.
“Again, there was an additional amount of £4.2 million relating to James Ibori not lodged in an account maintained by the office of the attorney general, but maintained at the Central Bank.
“Again, we equally recovered additional amount of £20 million recently in August 2022, known as Micosta. Lodged where? In the asset recovery of the federal government maintained at the Central Bank.
“Again, we equally recovered additional sum of £950 of illicit funds linked to DSP Alamieyesigha. It was equally lodged at the account,” the AGF stated.
