About 48 million of Nigeria’s crude oil Barrels that were stolen and sold in China at about $2.4 billion dollars has sparked a protest at the premises of the legislative arm of the country.
Nigeria is known for persistent crude oil theft. The organised crime cannot be undertaken by people outside corridors of power since it involves settling the security networks, host community and deliberate connivance with shipping companies.
While the country is getting more poor people, Nigerians in positions of authority that are supposed to investigate these atrocities seem to be making a fortune out of it illegitimately.
Hundreds of George Uboh Whistleblowers Network stormed the main entrance to the National Assembly, Nigeria’s legislative branch, protesting against Hon Mark Gbillah led Ad-hoc Committee of the House of Representatives.
The committee is investigating the alleged 48 million barrels of stolen crude oil that was later sold in China.
But the protesters are against such a committee because according to them, nothing good has come out of it.
Reading a statement during the protest, Umoh said the Hon Mark Gbillah led Ad -hoc committee on illegal sale of 48 million barrels of stolen crude oil, later sold in China at $2.4 billion, was unnecessary since the matter is already in court.
The protesters led by Ambassador Joseph Peter Umoh, carried banners and placards with inscriptions denouncing the setting up of the Ad-hoc committee by the House of Representatives when the crime, according to them, is already being litigated against in the court of law.
Reading a statement during the protest, Umoh said the Hon Mark Gbillah led Ad -hoc committee on illegal sale of 48 million barrels of stolen crude oil, later sold in China at $2.4 billion, was unnecessary since the matter is already in court.
He said as Whistleblowers , they blew open the stolen crude oil and illegal sales in China to Hon Mark Gbillah and Nigerians generally .
Umoh said rather than carry them along in the planned investigation, decided to do it alone, raising suspicion on vested interests.
“The whistleblowers who furnished Hon Mark Gbillah the information germane to the 48 million barrels of crude oil stolen did not file any petition to the National Assembly for any investigation or hearing, nor were they called as witnesses to testify during the 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 $4.8 billion at $100per barrel.
“Hon Gbillah led the 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 said.
When told that the Ad- hoc committee was not set up by Hon Gbillah himself but leadership of the House of Representatives, Umoh said the protest was staged for the leadership to know the futility of its action on the committee.
