The House of Representatives Committee on Crude Oil Swap has given March 2 as the appearance date for former Minister of Petroleum Resources, , Diezani Alison-Madueke to appear before it in connection with the $24bn crude oil swap contracts.
The committee which is headed by Mr. Zakari Mohammed, dispatched the letter of invitation to Alison Madueke on Monday, February 22.
Details later.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday grilled Rear Admiral Alison Madueke (retd.), for several hours at its head office in Abuja.
Madueke, who is the husband of the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani, was said to have honoured an invitation by the commission.
The interrogation of Madueke, one of our correspondents learnt, followed the discovery of about $600,000 in his personal accounts.
He was said to have been released on administrative bail while his passport was seized by the anti-graft agency.
He was also asked to return to the EFCC at a later date to answer more questions.
The lawyer for the Madueke family, Mr. Oscar Onwudiwe, confirmed that the former Chief of Naval Staff was at the EFCC office.
He, however, said he did not know the reason for his invitation.
Onwudiwe said, “He honoured an invitation by the EFCC and has left.”
When asked why Madueke was invited, the lawyer said, “I really do not know. The EFCC has become something else under this government. They have been empowered and believe the best way to work is to leak stories to the media.”
On the allegation of money laundering, Onwudiwe said, “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to him yet.”
Attempts to get the EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, did not succeed as calls to his mobile phone did not connect.
A top operative in the commission, who confided in The PUNCH, said the former Chief of Naval Staff had been released.
“He was summoned over $600,000 allegedly found in his accounts. He has been given an administrative bail.”
Meanwhile, the commission has moved the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.), from Abuja to Lagos as its investigations into the $2.1bn arms scandal intensify.
The PUNCH learnt on Wednesday from a reliable source within the EFCC that some of Badeh’s properties in Lagos might be searched and seized by the commission.
Badeh, who has been in the custody of the anti-graft agency since February 8, is being questioned in connection with arms contracts totalling $930.5m, which were allegedly awarded under his leadership.
The money is said to be part of the $2.1bn meant for arms purchase, which was under the control of the Office of the National Security Adviser, headed then by Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).
Badeh is also said to be answering questions on the non-specification of procurement costs, absence of contract agreements, award of contracts beyond authorised thresholds, transfer of public funds for unidentified purposes and general non-adherence to provisions of the Public Procurement Act.
A reliable source said Badeh’s movement to Lagos was to identify some properties or business that might belong to him.
He explained that under the law, the EFCC could invoke the Assets Forfeiture clause to seize the properties of those who allegedly diverted or misappropriated funds meant for arms procurement in line with sections 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section 13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004.
The detective added, “We are trying to trace houses that belong to some of the military chiefs. Apart from checking their bank accounts, we want to find out if part of the money for arms procurement was spent on those houses.
“Based on the outcome of our investigations, Badeh may be charged to a Lagos High Court instead of Abuja.”
Two weeks ago, the commission seized houses said to be worth over N5bn, belonging to some Nigerian Air Force officials.
The houses, which were seized in the Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Ikeja and Badagry areas of Lagos State, allegedly belong to the immediate past Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd.); the immediate past Chief of Accounts and Budgeting of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal J. B. Adigun; and Air Commodore O. O. Gbadebo, who was the Director of Finance and Budget at NAF.
In a related development, the EFCC said it had obtained a remand order to keep Col. Ojogbane Adegbe, the Aide-de-Camp to former President Goodluck Jonathan in detention pending investigations.
A reliable source in the EFCC told our correspondent on Wednesday that with the remand order, Adegbe could remain in custody for the next 20 days.
The ex-president’s ADC has meanwhile denied media reports that he said Nigeria would burn if he revealed what happened under the Jonathan’s administration.
In a letter written by his lawyer, Chief Ogwu Onoja (SAN), Adegbe said he would sue the newspaper which carried the story which he described as false.
The United Kingdom-based Chevening Scholarship has removed the embattled former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, from its list of female achievers, according to a report by Sahara Reporters.
Chevening is an international scholarship scheme which enables students with leadership qualities from 144 countries and territories to undertake postgraduate study or courses in universities in the UK.
After receiving a Chevening scholarship in 2002, Diezani attended Cambridge University for her MBA and then returned to Nigeria where she became the first female Executive Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company.
After emerging as the first woman to hold the position of Minister of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria and the first female President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Chevening on its website, listed her as one of its best female alumni in commemoration of the March 8 International Women’s Day.
Diezani was listed among other international and accomplished women like the Vice President, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Wang li; a former Minister for Social Development in Jordan, Hala Bsaisu Lattouf; and a Deputy Minister of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Hertzegovina, Denisa Sarajlic-Maglic.
After recognising Diezani as one of its best alumni, Chevening had stated on its website that “We are proud of all our alumni who carry Chevening values with them through their careers, and on this day, we take special delight in recognising and applauding just some of the many women associated with Chevening across the world who work tirelessly to bring about positive change.
“We hope that the trail they are blazing will empower the next generation of young female leaders to ‘make it happen’ on an even bigger scale in the years to come.”
Besides, the UK Independent in a report on Wednesday had made references to Chevening’s high rating of the embattled minister.
However, following Diezani’s arrest by the UK’s National Crime Agency along with five other people on allegation of bribery and corruption offences, Chevening delisted her name from its website but retained the names of its other ‘celebrated women.’
Checks by one of our correspondents on Thursday showed that Diezani’s name had indeed been removed from its website.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission may have arrested a special assistant to the embattled minister.
It was gathered that the Diezani’s aide was ýpicked up by operatives of the commission at Banana Island in Lagos.
The source said the aide had been with operatives of the EFCC for a few days and had made some statements.
Diezani has four personal assistants and it is not clear if more of them will be quizzed in relation with the ongoing probe.
“You know that the EFCC operatives are really going after Diezani’s aides. One of them was picked up at Banana Island on Tuesday. He has been singing like a bird. The man has made useful information,” the source said.
When one of our correspondents contacted the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, for his comment, he said that he did not know anything about the investigation.
Since the UK police started collaborating with the EFCC in the ongoing investigation into the oil deals under Diezani, the EFCC has come up with a policy not to comment on it.
It was gathered that it was in line with the official policy of the UK agency to keep everything secret about those being probed.
Former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke will not be able to leave the United Kingdom (UK) until April, next year, The Nation learnt yesterday.
That is when the investigations into allegations against her are expected to have been concluded, Judiciary sources said.
She is expected to be arraigned before the magistrate for alleged money laundering and bribery,
Mrs Alison-Madueke was arrested last week along with four others by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA).She was granted bail. Her international passport was, however, seized.
On Monday, the London Westminster Magistrate’s Court on Marylebone Road approved the holding of the £27,000 cash seized from her, following an application brought by the NCA under the Proceeds of Crime Act in the UK.
The court also ruled that the cash can be held for six months – till April, next year when she is expected to be arraigned after investigations.
It was learnt yesterday that the court also granted the order that she should remain in London while investigations last.
Mrs Alison-Madueke will only be able to travel after an application has been brought before the court and approved.
She had previously denied any wrongdoing when it was alleged that $20b of oil money had gone missing when she was in office between 2010 and 2015
The NCA, which leads the UK law enforcement’s fight to cut serious and organised crime, is working in league with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the probe of the former minister.
Last Friday when Mrs Alison-Madueke was arrested in London, her Abuja home was raided by the EFCC.
The NCA has national and international reach and the mandate and powers to work in partnership with other law enforcement organisations to bring the full weight of the law to bear on serious and organised criminals.
The Proceeds of Crime Act says: “The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (“POCA”) sets out the legislative scheme for the recovery of criminal assets with criminal confiscation being the most commonly used power.
“Confiscation occurs after a conviction has taken place. Other means of recovering the proceeds of crime, which do not require a conviction, are provided for in the Act, namely civil recovery, cash seizure and taxation powers.
“The aim of the asset recovery schemes in POCA is to deny criminals the use of their assets, recover the proceeds of crime and disrupt and deter criminality.”
There were indications, yesterday, that a former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke, arrested and released in the United Kingdom, on Friday, on money laundering allegations, may be charged to court, this week.
And feelers showed that she will not be the only person in the dock.
Sunday Vanguard learnt that besides the four other persons arrested with the former minister, more suspects may also be arraigned.
Meanwhile, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detectives, who raided the Abuja home of Allison-Madueke, just at about the time of her arrest in the UK, on Friday, reportedly recovered cash running into millions of Naira.
The trial is expected to be conducted in London and is likely to draw thousands of Nigerians resident in the United Kingdom (UK) but no date was specified, last night, when Sunday Vanguardmade contacts with the National Crime Agency (NCA), which arrested and released Diezani and the four others on Friday.
An official of the NCA gave indication of the trial in a telephone chat but pointed out that the identities of all the suspects would only be unveiled at the point of charging them to court.
The official explained that the law establishing the NCA does not allow it to name those being investigated before charging them to court.
The official said: “Indeed we cannot name the five persons who were arrested and granted police conditional bail until we are ready to charge them to court.
“The law does not permit us to do so and we will release appropriate information to the media as the case progresses”.
But it was learnt from sources close to the British government that the NCA might have concluded arrangements to arraign Diezani and other suspects believed to be mostly Nigerian oil business men, suspected to have aided and abetted money laundering while the former minister was in office.
One of the sources said the British Government started investigating Diezani as early as 2013 following sustained allegations of financial wrongdoings at home and abroad, leveled against her and some officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.
In the meantime, a team of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives, which raided the Abuja home of the former minister in Asokoro, Abuja, was said to have recovered cash running into millions of Naira from the place.
But a source close to the operation said only N1.2 million was recovered.
The security agents, who stormed the home, on Frederick Chiluba Street, Asokoro, in six vehicles, reportedly gained access to the expansive mansion with the aid of some former security aides of the embattled former minister.
The team allegedly gained access to the well fortified house using one of the windows.
Reports said Diezani had not been sighted near the palatial home since leaving office in May but had been staying in the United Kingdom, where she reportedly sought medical attention over an undisclosed ailment.
In updated information on its website, yesterday, the NCA disclosed that investigation of the suspects was initiated in 2013 by the Proceeds of Corruption Unit, which transferred the matter to it early this year.
The agency said that the suspects were merely granted what it called “conditional police bail” pending further investigation to be conducted in the UK and overseas.
It was learnt that the EFCC, which has a working pact with UK anti-corruption agencies, swopped on Diezani’s home and recovered vital documents, which it hopes to use to prosecute her when the trial begins in London.
According to the NCA’s website, the International Corruption Unit (ICU) investigates bribery of foreign public officials by individuals or companies from the UK and money laundering by suspected corrupt foreign officials and their associates.
The ICU also traces and recovers the proceeds of international corruption, support foreign law enforcement agencies with international anti-corruption investigations; engages with government and business to reduce the UK’s exposure to the proceeds of corruption.
It works to support increased compliance with the Bribery Act 2010 and draws on the specialist support available to it within the NCA, while also working closely with other UK law enforcement agencies and overseas partners.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has commenced a full investigation into the activities of the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
Alison Madueke
It was learnt on Sunday that the commission constituted a four-member committee of crack detectives to probe all the NNPC accounts which were supervised by the former minister.
It was learnt that the committee was led by a Superintendent of Police, who was seconded to the commission.
Investigations revealed that the other three members of the committee were pioneer civilian operatives of the commission with high capacity for investigation.
Sunday PUNCH had on Sunday reported that the ongoing probe of the immediate-past administration by President Muhammadu Buhari was to beam its searchlight on the alleged purchase of three mobile stages, costing $6.9m, by former President Goodluck Jonathan and two of his officials.
According to a document, which was obtained from the Presidency on Saturday, the deal, which is now a subject of investigation, was allegedly carried out by Jonathan; his Chief Security Officer, Mr. Gordon Obuah; and Alison-Madueke.
The fund was said to have been withdrawn from one of the numerous accounts of the NNPC.
The $6.9m (about N1.37bn) was said to have been withdrawn for the purpose of buying three pieces of 40-feet mobile stages for use by Jonathan during the campaign.
Besides the latest allegation, it will be recalled that a group, Crusader for Good Governance, had petitioned the EFCC accusing the former minister of squandering million of dollars of public funds to charter private jets.
The petitioners also accused her of spending $300,000 on an average international trip.
The group also alleged that the NNPC, a government agency she oversaw, maintained a Challenger 850 Visa jet which serves the former minister’s needs as well as those of her family. The cost of running the jet is $500,000 per month.
She was also accused of going to a meeting of the Oil Producing and Exporting Countries in Austria in a private jet.
It was gathered on Sunday that the committee set up by the EFCC had since commenced probing the NNPC accounts and activities of the former minister.
A top operative of the EFCC, who confided in The PUNCH, said, “I think the commission has commenced investigation into this Diezani issue. It is not just about inviting her, the commission has set up a four-man team of crack detectives to investigate her operations in the NNPC.
“The terms of reference of the committee include to look into all the NNPC accounts which were under the supervision of Mrs. Alison-Madueke.
“The committee has since commenced work; they are still working. I think a very senior police officer, a Police Superintendent, is leading the other operatives in the probe of Diezani and multiple accounts of the NNPC.” The source said.
When our correspondent contacted the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, on the activities of the EFCC Special Committee on the NNPC, the calls to his mobile telephone line did not connect.
But Uwujaren had earlier said that he was not aware if the commission had commenced a probe into the allegation that $6.9m was spent on campaign stages.
Uwujaren said that he had not been briefed on any such investigation.
“I am not aware of such a probe; I have not been briefed on such a probe,” he said.
Meanwhile, Obuah has denied the allegation of purchase of three mobile stages, costing $6.9m, for public appearance of the then President.
Obuah, who spoke through his lawyer, Mr. Andrew Tsekiri, in a telephone conversation with one of our correspondents on Sunday, said the allegation was false and challenged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to produce evidence instead of putting him on trial in the media.
Tsekiri said his client had been confronted with the allegation while in the detention of the Department of State Services, which he said investigated it and found it to be untrue.
The lawyer said, “Let me tell you, nothing like that exists. Obuah did not make demand for that money for any stage. Let them show to Nigerians evidence that he took the money. When Obuah was in their (DSS) detention, they investigated this particular matter and found out that it was false.
“He was confronted with the allegation. Mr. Obuah told them that he knew nothing about it, and they found that the allegation was false. They released him, why are they bringing it up again?”
He said since the release of the former President’s CSO from the DSS detention in July, he had not been contacted over the allegation by any government agency since then.
He said, “They have investigated the allegation and they found out it was false, since then no government agency had contacted or invited Mr. Obuah.
“They should show how Diezani authorised the payment of the money and how it left Citibank to Zenith Bank, to Access Bank to Sterling Bank and they should show how it ended in Obuah’s account.”
Tsekiri said the outcome of the allegation would soon show that the Buhari Administration was not interested in governance but to frame up allegations against people.
“They are just lying against Diezani and Mr. Jonathan. That is what they are doing. Let me tell you what they want to do. They will charge Obuah to court, make all the noise about the allegation that has been published, knowing full well that the matter will not be decided in about a year or two, and by then, the public would have forgotten about it but they would have spoilt your name.”
The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Wednesday disclosed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has started refunding $1.48bn into the Federation Account as recommended by an audit firm, PriceWaterHouse Coopers.
She however did not disclose how much has so far been refunded by the corporation.
She also denied reports that she was seeking the assistance of some highly-placed persons in other to get soft landing from the incoming administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
Alison-Madueke spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
It will be recalled that the Federation Account Allocation Committee on Monday night constituted a committee to find out the reasons for the delay in the refund of the sum.
PriceWaterHouse Coopers had in its forensic audit report of the corporation recommended that the NNPC should refund the amount to the Federation Account.
The firm was last year hired to carry out the audit following an allegation by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, that $20bn was not remitted to the Federation Account by the NNPC.
PWC had stated in the report that while the total gross revenue generated from crude oil lifting was $69.34bn between January 2012 and July 2013 and not $67bn as earlier stated by the Senate Reconciliation Committee, what was remitted to the Federation Account was $50.81bn and not $47bn.
The audit report revealed that $28.22bn was the value of domestic crude oil allocated to the NNPC, adding that total amount spent on subsidy for Premium Motor Spirit was $5.32bn.
Alison-Madueke however explained that the unremitted fund was owed by NPDC for a block that had been assigned from NNPC to NPDC.
She said, “The PriceWaterHouse Coopers forensic audit that was done a few weeks ago, in its recommendation mentioned that $1.48bn was owed by NPDC for a block that had hitherto been assigned from the NNPC to NPDC which is its subsidiary.
“They felt that the right process would be that NPDC will refund that money to the Federation Account. NPDC has apparently started those refunds and it is also in discussion with NNPC and DPR on same. So the refund has actually begun.”
While saying that the payment was being done under her directives, she insisted that the sum was not missing but transferred by the NNPC to NPDC which is a subsidiary.
The Gatekeeper Foundation has insisted that the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke must be relieved of her position in order to ensure noninterference with the forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The audit was approved by President Goodluck Jonathan towards investigating the alleged non-remittance of $20 billion by NNPC to the Federation Account.
Briefing journalists in Abuja on Saturday, the Executive Director of Gatekeepers Foundation, Blessing Agbomhere said that it will not be right for a government that said it is fighting corruption to allow Diezani to preside over her own case.
According to him, Diezani is not bigger that Nigeria and should stop running away from the National Assembly if she had nothing to hide.
He stressed that it was his group that protested at Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna to stop Diezani from heading the organization.
“She must bring our money and I am ready to go to court over this issue. What is good for Sanusi is good for Diezani. She must step aside for the forensic audit to be carried out.
“The President should sack Diezani now to allow the forensic audit to take place. She is not bigger than Nigeria, she is not bigger than the National Assembly.
“Why is she afraid to appear before the Senate if she had nothing to hide,” Agbomhere queried
Replying his critics who believed that protesting in Vienna was not good for Nigeria, he said: “I went to Vienna to protect the image of Nigeria and not to soil it.”
On his interest in this matter, he said: “I am a Nigerian and a taxpayer in this country. There is no way the action or inaction of the government won’t affect me and my generation unborn. We have a right to ask her about our money and she must bring the money.”
A Joint House of Representatives Committee has summoned the petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke over a crude swap scam contained in the report of the Swiss-based Berne Declaration.
House Committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream and Upstream) and Judiciary presently probing the report have taken testimonies from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), oil traders – Ontario, Aiteo, Vitol, Mercuria Energy and Eterna Oil and Gas, all indicted in the report.
The report entitled: “Swiss traders’ opaque deals in Nigeria” alleged the under-supply of refined petroleum product by some Swiss oil traders in connivance with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) and lead chairman of the Joint Committee, Muraina Ajibola, at the hearing told committee members that the petroleum minister had failed to appear before the committee despite a formal summon.
“We will give her a date to appear before us and that will be the last,” Ajibola said.
Earlier, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) had in its report submitted to the House Joint Committee accused four oil traders of under-delivering 500,075,239.3 litres of products worth $8billion in the year 2011.
They are Trafigura (173,786,600 litres); Vitol (654,440.7 litres); Taleveras (152,308,878 litres); Aiteo Nigeria Limited (193,046,590 litres) and Ontario Oil and Gas (180,278,732 litres).
In a submission by the MD/CEO, Ontario Oil and Gas Limited, Ada Ugo-Ngadi, she argued that the selection of buyers of Nigerian crude was done on a transparent and competitive basis.
Ugo-Ngadi said: “Ontario’s swap arrangement with NNPC/PPMC is in line with international standard, transparent and complies with all audit requirements. It is transparent and conducted in line with global best practice.
“The publication (Berne Declaration) is a figment of the writers’ imagination to distract Nigerians and cause distrust of indigenous oil companies. It is baseless, faulty and deserves no serious attention.”
Meanwhile, majority of members of the House yesterday rejected an attempt to change Nigeria’s motto from “Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress” to “Justice and Equity, Peace and Progress”.
The failed change was contained in a bill sponsored by Hon Chris Azubogu (APGA, Anambra), who said it was intended to create a strong political will in Nigerian leaders to focus on attaining political objectives. (0)
