NNPC is the engine room of corruption - Saraki

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Thursday, described the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as the engine room of corruption, lamenting that none of the perpetrators of illegal deals in the corporation had so far been apprehended and brought to justice.

Bukola Saraki

He, therefore, challenged the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress to assist the Federal Government to fight corruption by encouraging their members in the oil and gas sector to expose those behind subsidy scam in the country.

Saraki who stated this while addressing the leadership of the NLC led by its President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, in his office, asked the oil and gas workers to reveal the identities of subsidy thieves and watch whether they would be protected or not.

He said, “I think we need the cooperation of our workers who know it all. They see it happen and when you look at the anti-corruption agencies, with all due respect, you will find out that 80 per cent of some of the cases are cases at the state level.

“You hardly see where people who are the real engine room – which is the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation – where most of these corruption cases on oil are, being put on trial.”

He said it was time workers helped the government succeed to decisively tackle corruption through collective efforts.

Saraki noted that President Muhammadu Buhari had made it clear that his administration would fight corruption to its logical end, stressing that the Senate had on its part started the process by engaging the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission.

He also said that the upper chamber would soon interact with the management of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other anti-graft agencies in order to fashion out a collective to tackle the menace of corruption.

Saraki assured Nigerians that the Senate under his watch would fight corruption with a view to blocking leakages and create gainful employment.

He said, “We in the 8th Senate have said there will be zero tolerance for corruption. Corruption is one issue slowing down development and some of the problems we are tackling.

“Whether you talk about our refineries not working, you talk of the issue of fuel subsidy, you talk about the high cost of governance, everything you talked about comes back to this issue of corruption and I think it is time for all of us, those of us in the National Assembly, the Executive and the workers to show serious commitment.

“This should not be a headline-grabbing approach because at the end of the day, you are workers, when you talk about oil theft, we have Nigerian workers at the terminals who surely must know when this thing is going on.

“Everywhere that there is corruption, some workers are there either participating or observing. We now have a great opportunity to win the war against corruption because we have a leadership led by President Muhammadu Buhari that we believe has the political will to do the right thing”

He said the excuses of Nigerian workers that when they blow the whistle on corrupt practices nothing would be done because the system is corrupt right from the top, was No longer tenable because the current administration in the country has the political will to deal with the scourge.

Saraki said, “We are assuring you that at the executive side, we have elected the President that will do it well. I am making the commitment on behalf of the National Assembly and myself that we are committed to fighting corruption.”

Wabba lamented the current high cost of governance coupled with the high exchange rate which according to him was having serious negative impact on the lives of workers.

Wabba said that the reduction of salaries announced by the President, the Vice-President and some state governors was not the solution to the problem of high cost of governance in the country.

The NLC President also called for a more transparent execution of the National Assembly annual budget.

He recalled that the budget for the National Assembly for 2011 was shrouded in secrecy because the lawmakers used their influence to move it into the first line charge in the Federation Account.

NNPC is the engine room of corruption - Saraki

NNPC, Nigerian Air Force Partner to Enhance Chad Basin Exploratory Activities

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) have pledged to work hand-in-hand to promote the ongoing acquisition of seismic data in the Chad Basin and to curb crude oil theft in the creeks of the Niger Delta.

At a courtesy call on the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Joseph T. Dawha said the visit was to foster closer cooperation and collaboration between NNPC and NAF for the socio-economic growth, peace, security and stability of the country.

Dr. Dawha noted that the Nigerian Air Force has provided invaluable services to the Oil and Gas Industry through the Joint Task Force tagged ‘Operation  Pulo Shield’  where the NAF is one of the key players.

The GMD said that the support to the industry from the 81 Air Maritime Group in Benin and 97 Special Operations Group in Port Harcourt has always been an additional layer of security for the Corporation’s assets in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors.

Dr. Dawha observed that security of personnel, crude and product lines have become a major challenge requiring continuous collaboration and intervention by the Government Security Agencies. Responding, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Amosu expressed the readiness of the Nigerian Air Force to collaborate with the NNPC to check the incidences of crude oil theft in the creek of the Niger Delta.

He noted that the Air Force has a crew of robust and capable men who are ready to contain the tide of insurgents in the North East which covers the Chad Basin exploratory activities of the NNPC and crude oil thieves in the creeks of the Niger Delta adding that with the rapid response aerial surveillance platform of NAF, the days of indiscriminate crude oil and products theft are over.

The GMD of NNPC was accompanied on the visit by some members of his top management.

 

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NNPC, Nigerian Air Force Partner to Enhance Chad Basin Exploratory Activities

International Oil Companies in Nigeria Aiding Oil Theft - Naval Boss

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, has accused International Oil Companies operating in Nigeria of complicity in the theft of the nation’s crude oil.

International Oil Companies in Nigeria Aiding Oil Theft – Naval Boss

He also said that the Navy would not pretend about the involvement of the oil companies in crude oil theft.

He spoke at a meeting of the top leadership of the Navy and the Managing Directors/Chief Executive Officers of the IOCs in Abuja on Wednesday.

Jibrin said it took him seven and a half months since his appointment to call the first meeting between the Navy and the firms to discuss serious issues of concern in the oil sector, which included oil theft and illegal bunkering.

The Navy boss also explained that he made it clear that the CEOs should attend the meeting in person without representation because of the need to discuss the issues, which he described as worrisome, but regretted that the request was ignored.

Jibrin said some of the oil firms had deliberately left the manifolds of their oil wells open for years without conscious efforts to close them in spite of the fact that only experts had the capacity to reopen closed manifolds.

He warned that the Navy would ensure the arrest of executives of the IOCs who decided to leave the manifolds of their wells open for years without closing them.

He also threatened to deal with any naval officer found to have been involved in the criminal theft of the nation’s oil resources in accordance with the laws guiding the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

The CNS warned that the Navy would go beyond accusing the firms to mentioning names of those suspected to be involved in the theft of the nation’s resources.

Jibrin wondered why the oil chiefs had not given the expected cooperation in the bid to seek a concerted solution to the raging issue of oil theft.

He said the time had come for the oil firms and the security agencies to seek solutions to the issue of oil theft in the country.

Jibrin said, “This is the first meeting I am having with the oil firms to discuss the issue of oil theft and illegal bunkering. It took us seven and half months to call this meeting, and specifically, we said we don’t want representation.

“We have a serious challenge and we need the commitment of the CEOs to discuss oil theft. It has become worrisome that we have not been able to check the issue of oil wells. It has got to a point that instead of pointing accusing fingers, we will mention names, including those of the major stakeholders.

“We cannot pretend that the oil companies do not have a hand in some of these illegalities; pretending is to allow it to continue. We will not pretend. I can start by citing some examples; some companies have left their oil wells opened for years and have done nothing to close them up. Because of the technical nature of the manifolds, once they are closed, only the experts can open them. Why have they been left open for years?”

He added, “I have pictures here. Why is it that all of us cannot sit down at a round table and provide a solution? Why are we denting the image of this country? It has come to a point that we must meet, discuss and provide solutions to issues pertaining to oil theft.

“Government is worried and those of us who are agents of the government are also worried. On my part, if any of my personnel is involved, they will be dealt with adequately in accordance with the existing law of the Armed Forces.

“I have decided that I will take some steps that if the manifolds are left open for years and our attention is drawn to the need for it to be closed, we will look for and start arresting officials of the oil companies who own that and left them without taking appropriate action.”

He said that the government was taking the issue of oil theft seriously because of the loss of revenue and the inimical effects of oil theft on the environment.

Responding on behalf of the firms, the Chairman, Oil Producer Trading Services, Mr. Ayobami Olubiyi, said that the companies had also taken steps to curb the threat of oil theft.

He recalled that the Federal Government set up an ad-hoc committee on the subject, with some funds released to address the pressing issues some months ago.

He said the men of the Nigerian Navy were involved in securing the operations of the oil firm in the Niger Delta and Lagos.

Olubiyi said, “It is not just the Nigerian Navy but all who have been supporting our business. And I also want to assure you that concerning oil theft, we have taken a lot of steps. That is why in the last couple of months, an ad-hoc committee was set up by the Federal Government to look into this, and I am aware that some money had been released to help curtail this situation.

“We will continue to advocate a true platform; and as you are aware, we have a number of your officers and men who have been supporting our operations in the Delta, including Lagos. They have been very professional in the way and manner they carry out this operation; and together with the CNS, I am sure we will all be able to work to ensure that we mitigate this very unfortunate situation in our country today.”

International Oil Companies in Nigeria Aiding Oil Theft - Naval Boss

Nigeria comes tops in global crude theft

Nigeria has been listed as the country with the highest incidents of crude oil theft in the world, according to data released by Oilprice.com. 

According to the website, with as much as 400,000 barrels of crude oil stolen daily, Nigeria is ranked worse than Mexico, Iraq, Russia and Indonesia on the top five countries most plagued by oil theft.

The report put Nigeria’s losses to crude theft at $1.7 billion, about N272 billion per month, representing 7.7 percent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

The report said: “This represents 7.7 percent of Nigeria’s GDP vanishing, or more than the country spends on education and healthcare.

“These numbers paint a harsh picture about the inability of the Nigerian government and the multinational oil companies in Niger Delta, to do anything about this rampant theft.

“With oil theft hitting record levels in 2013, the G8 has been reminded of its 2000 pledge to help Nigeria solve this crippling problem.

“However, as the Global Financial Initiative points out, ‘stolen Nigerian crude oil is transported on internationally registered vessels, sold to international buyers, processed by international oil refineries and paid for using international bank accounts’.

“With one group of thieves admitting to profits of nearly $7,000 a day from their illicit activities, it will take some doing to stop them.”

On Iraq, the report said there have been substantiated reports of complex networks taking thousands of barrels right from the refineries and selling them illegally to Iran and Syria.

 

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Nigeria comes tops in global crude theft

Fuel Subsidy Scam: EFCC arraigns 121 suspects for oil theft’

In what may be its biggest haul of suspected economic criminals till date, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned 121 suspects, including companies, for alleged fuel subsidy scam and oil theft in the Niger Delta.

EFCC Boss

It has also recovered about N6.53 billion from evaders of customs duties at the Lagos ports.

EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, addressed reporters yesterday in Abuja on the agency’s activities between March and June.

The spokesman said some Internet fraudsters had been arrested and prosecuted.

He said Jesse Omokoh, who allegedly obtained $90,000 from a 67-year-old Australian, Jette Jacobs, in a romance scam, is on trial at an High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State.

But the agency’s biggest hauls were in its war against theft in the Oil sector.

The breakdown of the figures showed that 17 oil marketers, 23 oil marketing companies and 81 suspects have been arraigned for alleged oil theft.

The commission has also seized 11 tanker vessels and 16 tanker trucks used for alleged oil theft.

Uwujaren said: “Oil subsidy scam: As we speak, I think there are about 17 oil marketers that are being tried, and I am talking of persons who are being tried in court over subsidy scam.

“But if you add the individuals and their companies, we have over 40 cases on trial for obtaining subsidy from the Federal Government without supplying products. Those cases are ongoing; they are progressing in court at different stages. Apart from the one we have in court, there are also a number of investigations that are going on.

“Investigation of subsidy is not a straight-forward thing; it is a very complicated procedure. It is not something you can just conclude within a country; you have to deal with organisations with proper jurisdiction, and these things take time.

“That is reason some people think we don’t have enough people standing trial in court. It is a complicated procedure, and that process is still on.

“In terms of whether or not we have recovered money from the subsidy thing, I say yes. I recall that about two months ago, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC announced that the commission had recovered N4.3 billion from the subsidy scam. That is very significant, considering the complicated nature of those transactions. We are not relenting in our determination to get to the root of the matter.”

On how the EFCC collaborated with other security agencies to fight oil thieves in the Niger Delta, Uwujaren said: “Oil theft is a subject that is of concern to every Nigerian. For us as a commission with a mandate to check oil theft by arresting and prosecuting offenders, I’ll like to report that commendable strides have been recorded in checking this menace.

“Of course, what we have done in this area could not have been possible without the assistance of sister-law enforcement organisations, notably the Navy and the Army.

“For some of you, who want hard statistics on the records of the commission in fighting oil theft in the Niger Delta, it is my pleasure to report that the commission, from January 2013 till date, investigated 21 cases of crude oil theft. Eleven tanker vessels and 16 tanker trucks were recovered, while 81 suspects have been charged to court.

“A few weeks ago, two Indians – Sailesh Kumar Singh and Chadrashekar Sharma – were jailed after successful prosecution by the commission for oil theft.

“The two were among the 12 suspected oil thieves arrested in Brass, Bayelsa State, in 2012 by the Joint Task Force (JTF) with 157,882 litres of suspected stolen crude oil. They are to serve 15 years imprisonment.

“This should serve as a deterrent for others still engaged in the nefarious trade.”

On evaders of import duties, Uwujaren said a large-scale investigation on the scandal at the ports led to the recovery of N6.53 billion unpaid Customs importation duties in Lagos.

The EFCC spokesman said the battle had shifted to Onne Port in Rivers State against duty evaders.

He said: “The desire to encourage local collaboration and erase unnecessary rivalries in law enforcement is the bedrock of our cooperation with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

“Our joint recovery team in Lagos recovered N6.53 billion evaded Customs importation duties in Lagos between July 2012 and March 2014.

“Another joint recovery has began operations at Onne in Port Harcourt in April 2014 to recover Customs’ revenue in the Southsouth. We will be briefing you in the future on the outcome of this exercise.”

Uwujaren said the EFCC had been unrelenting to stamp out Internet crime.

He added: “Several cases were brought to trial in the last couple of weeks. First is the arraignment and conviction in Kano of Daniel Okpara, who defrauded people through a facebook account he opened in the name of the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde.

“Okpara lured his victims by promising them jobs with the commission. As we speak, he is in prison, serving a three-year jail term.

“Early this month, the commission arraigned at an Ibadan High Court, a suspected Internet fraudster, Jesse Omokoh, who allegedly obtained $90,000 from a 67-year old Australian, Jette Jacobs, in a romance scam.

“Omokoh, 28, allegedly met the lady in an online dating site and struck a relationship with a promise to marry the woman. The lady relocated from Australia to South Africa in November and the accused left Nigeria to meet her in Johannesburg on February 4, 2013. Unfortunately, five days later, she was found dead in her apartment.”

The EFCC spokesman said the accused fled South Africa but was arrested by the EFCC because of the collaboration it has with the Australian police.

Also, Uwujaren said officers of the commission were recently in Australia and Spain, where they worked with their counterparts at the West Australia and Spanish National Police.

“Such engagements enable us to assist the host agencies in pending trans-national investigations, while exposing our staff to international best practices,” he said.

According to him, the commission has also hosted investigators and prosecutors from Zambia, the United States (U.S), the United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Niger, World Bank and Africa Development Bank (ADB) and signed international memoranda of understanding (MoU) or joint working agreements.

Other international partners, such as the British Serious Fraud Office, the Economic Crimes Network (New Zealand) the Global Fund, the United States Trade Commission, the World Bank and a host of others had also been sealed.

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Fuel Subsidy Scam: EFCC arraigns 121 suspects for oil theft’

Oil theft: Nigerian Navy destroys 1.5 million litres of crude

The Nigerian Navy on Wednesday said it destroyed more than 1.5 million litres of crude oil along the shores of Gbekbo Creek in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta.

Other products destroyed by the Navy were 203 drums of illegally refined diesel and seven drums of petrol.

The Navy personnel stormed the creek with two fortified gunboats in an operation that lasted about six hours.

Addressing journalists at the scene, the Commander of NNS Delta, Musa Gemu, said the exercise was in compliance with the directive of the Chief Naval Staff to sanitise the creeks of illegalities.

Mr. Gemu, who led the operation, said it was going to be a continuous exercise until illegal oil bunkering and other criminal activities were completely eradicated along the waterways.

“The exercise is successful and the fight continues. Like I said earlier, this is almost the fifth exercise and it is a continuous one.

“We will keep coming from time to time until they stop the illegal activities,” he said.

Mr. Gemu said that the Navy would continue to inspect illegal refinery sites it had destroyed to ensure that criminals would not resume operations there.

”We will not just stop at inspecting the destroyed illegal refinery sites, the command will also take steps ahead and search for those sites where illegal businesses are perpetrated.

”Today, we saw and destroyed 12 illegal refineries, so we will sustain that momentum,” he said.

Two pumping machines, a generating set, an outboard machine and a saw were recovered in the operation.

He said no arrest was made because the oil thieves fled on sighting the Navy personnel.

(NAN)

Oil theft: Nigerian Navy destroys 1.5 million litres of crude

JTF arrests two Britons, 12 Nigerians for oil theft

* Suspects tried to bribe commander with $66,500

Two Britons, Piers Eastwood and Vincent Haywood, including 12 Nigerians have been apprehended by the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, over their involvement in illegal bunkering along the Chanomi creek.

JTF arrests two Britons, 12 Nigerians for oil theft

They were apprehended while hatching a plot to siphon petroleum product from the pipelines of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) at Chanomi creeks, Warri, Delta State.

The duo were rounded up alongside 12 Nigerian collaborators they hired as technicians to facilitate theft of the oil.

Their sinister motive was to connect a hose to one of the SPDC’s pipelines along the Chanomi creeks and illegally siphon Nigerian oil.

To actualise their evil intention, they offered a bribe of N11million to officials of JTF and promised to pay additional N10million if the illicit deal sailed through.

But luck ran out on them when the Commander 4 Brigade, Brigadier-General Fidelis Azinta, rejected the bribe and arrested them.

The suspects, their bribe money and operational tools, were paraded on Friday by the Commander, JTF, Major-General Emmanuel Atewe, at the Headquarters of the security outfit in Yenagoa.

Atewe said the suspects, representatives of an oil servicing company,  were apprehended on March 17.

He said the suspects initially came to JTF’s headquarters on the pretence  that they had been authorised to evacuate products from a vessel under the custody of Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA.

He said they came with an approval letter from  NNS and a permit from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

But Atewe said he directed the Sector 1of the JTF to monitor their activities in the waterways.

He said: “The Operations Officer of 3 Battalion discovered through their confession that their actual intention was to hack into one of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) pipelines in Chanomi creeks, Warri, Delta State and siphon crude oil”.

To covet up their tracks, he said the suspects first gave the officer a bribe of $5000 for recharge cards and $1500 to fuel a gunboat that would escort the stolen crude oil.

He said two of the suspects asked the officer to facilitate a meeting between them and tue commander 4 Brigade.

Atewe said the meeting was convened on March 20 at the Brigadier’s office as a bait to further ascertain the motive of the suspects.

He said: “During the meeting, the suspects expressed their desire to connect a hose to SPDC pipeline along the Chanomi creek in Delta State so as to illegally siphon crude oil into barges.

“While in the Brigade commander’s office, they promised to bribe the Brigade Commander with the sum of N20million as well as take care of the officers and soldiers along the Chanomi creeks.

“On March 21, they brought to the commander 60,000USD which translates to N10.2million being 50 per cent of the N20million promised. The suspects were immediately arrested for attempting to bribe the commander and for economic sabotage.”

He said the 12 technicians hired to connect the hoses to facilitate the theft were also apprehended.

Atewe said a follow-up investigation led to the arrest of the two Britons who were in company with seven Nigerian policemen.

He said the two Britons were security consultants from Port 2, Port Maritime Security Company Limited, United Kingdom, with a regional branch in Lagos.

He said the Britons flew into Lagos on March 14, left Lagos same day for Port Harcourt and departed to Warri through Yenagoa where they met with other suspects.

“The two Britons were to provide security escort and consultancy to a vessel believed to have been positioned at Brass open waters for suspected illegal oil bunkering”, he said.

He said the suspects would be handed over to the Department of State Security (DSS) for prosecution.

Atewe was, however, unhappy after a discovery that one of the suspects, Joshua Orupere, was once arrested and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.

He said Orupere, a serial offender, was apprehended last year when he tried to bribe the same commander who was then the Chief of Staff, JTF.

He blamed the hydra-headed nature of oil theft on lack of diligent prosecution and appealed to relevant agencies to assist JTF in curbing economic crime. (0)

JTF arrests two Britons, 12 Nigerians for oil theft