National
Whistleblowers tackle Reps on $2.4bn stolen crude oil
A group of whistleblowers on Tuesday kicked against the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on illegal sale of 48million barrels of stolen crude oil, which was later sold in China at the cost of $2.4billion, saying that the crime is already being litigated against in the court of law.
Members of the group under the aegis of George Uboh Whistleblowers Network, stormed the National Assembly, carrying many placards and banners with different inscriptions to protest against the setting up of the Hon. Mark Gbillah-led ad-hoc committee by the the Green Chamber.
Leader of the protesters, Ambassador Joseph Peter Umoh, in a written statement distributed to journalists during the protest, said the House Ad-hoc Committee on illegal sale of 48million barrels of stolen crude oil, later sold in China at $2.4billion was unnecessary and a waste of time and resources.
According to him, it was the whistleblowers, who blew open the stolen crude oil and illegal sales in China to Hon. Gbillah and Nigerians generally, but were later abandoned.
Umoh explained that rather than being carried along in the planned investigation, the ad-hoc committee decided to do it alone, raising suspicion on vested interests.
“The Whistleblowers who furnished Hon. Mark Gbillah with the information germane to the 48million barrels of crude oil stolen did not file any petition to the National Assembly for any investigation or hearing, neither were they called as witnesses to testify during hearing.
“Because Gbillah did not follow this sacrosanct due process, the purported public hearing by the ad-hoc committee is a sham predicated on unilateral action driven by greed.
“Therefore, we the whistleblowers at this protest, authoritatively assert that the National Assembly does not hear or deliberate on any matter in court
“Two different competent courts of jurisdictions are already handling the case filed against the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Mele Kyari to account for proceeds from the stolen crude oil which are roughly estimated to be $2.4billion at $50 per barrel and $4.8billion at $100per barrel
“Hon. Gbillah-led ad-hoc committee of the House of Representatives, should therefore, hands off the matter by not sitting or carrying out any public hearing on it,” he stated.
When told that the ad-hoc committee was not set up by Hon. Gbillah himself, but the leadership of the House of Representatives, he said the protest was staged for the leadership to know futility of its action on the committee.
Contact: info@royalnews.com.ng