★Summon DPP, Indict Govt Officials In Multi-billion Dollar Deal
★We’re Not Investigating Witnesses But Only Assisting – INTERPOL
★Urges Probe Of Attorney General’s Office
The House of Representatives adhoc committee investigating the alleged illegal sales of 48 million barrels of Nigeria’s Bonny Light crude in China in 2015 estimated at $2.4 billion on Thursday grilled the Head, National Central Bureau, (NCB), and Vice President of INTERPOL, AIG Garba Baba Umar for inviting whistleblowers for questioning shortly after the House commenced investigations into the matter.
The committee specifically queried why the individuals who were star witnesses ready to give them evidence would suddenly be tagged “fugitive” and declared wanted by the police.
The House said it was an attempt to suppress the truth on the illegal sale of the oil and undermine its investigations.
The chairman of the committee, Hon. Mark Gbillah made the assertion at a session with the IGP who was represented by the Head, National Central Bureau, and VP of INTERPOL, AIG Garba Baba Umar.
Gbillah warned against harassing and intimidating witnesses, assuring that the House was determined to unearth the hidden issues surrounding the alleged illegal deals.
He also fingered top government officials, some of whom are already deceased.
Gbillah however said that the committee was not on a witch-hunt mission but fullfiling its constitutional mandate in the interest of the Nigerian people.
“There is an allegation that sometime in 2015, a presidential committee was set up which included the late Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, the late GMD of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru, the former DG DSS, Lawal Daura. It was chaired by retired General Mohammed Umar and the current CEO of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, was then the group general manager, crude oil marketing department, the attorney general at some point also became a member of the committee.
“That committee is said to have traveled to China at the instance of a whistleblower of Mexican citizenship about the existence in China of millions of barrels of Nigeria”s crude and this individual expressed an interest to purchase this crude which the government at the time allegedly needed to investigate first so this committee went to China, confirmed the existence of this crude, but this individual concerned alleges that when the process of selling this crude commenced they were no longer contacted and they have evidence of the fact that the crude was sold without the money being remitted to the coffers of the Nigerian government.
“Now when these issues started to occur they said that they were being intimidated and threatened and had spurious allegations made against them that involved them being charged to court over this matter and eventually the matter was discontinued and in their own point of view, they said allegedly because there were revelations of the details of the documents, text exchanges between them started to come to the fore, the parties involved did not want it to become public knowledge.
“Now fast forward to now, because that case was stalled. It may interest you to know that at the time when these allegations seemingly occurred the department that was sent in the police to investigate this was the Force CID, then under the DIG Michael Ogbizi now retired. The report is supposed to have been made and forwarded for action by the attorney General. But it will also be something we would want to understand why now if it is related to that issue why is the Interpol writing to some of these individuals?
“Of course, the Mexican person left the country and is back in his country and I would be seeing the Mexican ambassador today because the Committee members would go to Mexico. This is how detailed the House of Representatives is. To meet with this individual, we would not want any other country’s citizen to be oppressed the way we would not want a Nigerian in Mexico to be oppressed when they are telling the truth.
“We would also want to get the documents and facts at his disposal. They said they have recordings, photographs, some of which they have shown the Committee, email correspondence, text messages and a lot of that related to this issue and other documents. But the Nigerians who are involved are still within the country.
“Two of them were the ones who approached us willing to give detail of what transpired in this whole situation but considering the fact that you were not involved in that initial investigation, I want to first start by asking how come you wrote letters to these individuals after the committee’s investigation had commenced and after they had indicated desire to give evidence to this committee?” Gbillah queried.
The committee also summoned the Director, Public Prosecution, (DPP) and others, hinting of their decision to embark on a trip to Mexico to meet with the country’s officials on the issue for more information.
He warned against harassing anyone who’s ready to provide evidence in the matter.
“Clerk, please do a letter to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation and the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation to furnish this committee with a detailed report of the investigation of the allegation against these individuals, as it was done by DIG Michael Ogbizi or any other department of the police.
“I will also want a certified true copy of the letter from the DPP to the Inspector-General of Police to carry out that investigation in the first instance, and the reasons for why that investigation was carried out.
“I will also want to get the certified true copy of the case filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions against these individuals before any court of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria.
“We will not allow anybody who has any information for this committee to be intimidated, coerced or harassed by the police.
“These individuals are not in hiding. They have only been contacted after the committee had commenced its investigation. The person who is in Mexico obviously has business to do in Mexico. There was no flight advisory. We are not abusers of the law. We would expect that you too should be interested in ascertaining the fact. We want everybody to be free to provide evidence” Gbillah said.
Reacting to the issue, the Head of NCB, Umar said that they were not investigating anyone.
He stressed that their role was to grant the request from the ministry of justice as mandated by law.
He therefore called for further inquiries to the office of the attorney general of the federation.
Umar said: “This is to inform the Committee that INTERPOL is not investigating a new case. The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation only seek for INTERPOL assistance by using INTERPOL tools to arrest the fugitive who has since flown out of the Country in order to escape justice.
“It is our candid advice that all inquiries into this case can be directed to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and competent Court of Law that are handling the matter.
“It will be prejudicial for the Nigeria Police Force to disclose or go into a matter that is pending before a competent Court of jurisdiction.
“However, the Nigeria Police Force is ready to assist the National Assembly in their oversight function.
“Attached herewith are copy(sic) of the Letter from the Attorney general of the Federation, Charge Sheet, Summary of the prosecution’s case against the defendants, Hearing notice and remand warrant from the Federal High Court.
“I have no knowledge. I have not interest. There is a request from a competent ministry asking us to trace these people. And they attached a court warrant. I will never allow anybody to use me. It’s a request. Those who may be able to answer are those who investigated the matter and the office of the attorney general. But I assure you we are not investigating. We are assisting.”
