SAN FRANCISCO, September 22, (THEWILL) – The House of Representatives has passes a resolution to investigate the embezzlement of $17 billion said to be undeclared from crude oil and liquefied natural gas exports.
According to a motion of urgent matters of public importance, sponsored by Johnson Agbonayinma, the house, after adopting the motion through a voice vote by Speaker Yakubu Dogara, will setup an ad hoc committee to investigate the allegation.
In his moving on the floor of the house, Agbonayinma alleged that 20 companies, two government agencies, two law firms and a consultant appointed by the Goodluck Jonathan administration were involved in stealing of the said sum.
“The data gathering of shipment of the USA for the period 2011 to December 2014 through critical NNPC data and the central bank pre-shipment inspection shows undeclared crude oil short falls of 57,830,000 of Nigeria crude oil, translating to well over $12 billion to the USA, also over $3 billion to China and $839,522,600 to Norway,” Agbonayinma said.
“These were conclusively ascertained by buyers, bill of lading, arrival dates, destination ports, quantity of crude oil and other documented information.
“This job has been done in 51 countries where Nigerian crude oil has been exported. The report of the USA, being the largest receiver of crude oil and that of other countries, was made available to the former president, the office of the attorney-general, NIMASA and the EFCC.
“As of today, the country has to its credit over $17 billion of recoverable shortfalls from undeclared crude oil exports to global destinations.
“These data so gathered show that for LNG shortfall, a total of 727,460 metric ton of liquefied natural gas, estimated at about $461, 44 million was firmly established shortfall from shipment to seven countries,” he added.
“This revenue loss was traced to cargo at each destination port of entry and have been established as undeclared cargo.”
Story by David Oputah
