Arrest Warrant Issued for Central Bank Governor and Officials Over Oil Industry Transactions
In a dramatic turn of events, the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petition has issued an arrest warrant for the Central Bank governor, Olayemi Cardoso, the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, and 17 other individuals.
The warrant comes in response to their repeated refusal to appear before the committee and address queries related to their operations.
The decision to issue the warrant was prompted by a motion moved by Rep. Fred Agbedi during the committee’s hearing on Tuesday.
Agbedi emphasized the urgency of the situation, citing the parliament’s adherence to timelines. The CEOs had been invited four times but had consistently ignored the summons.
The motion proposed that the Inspector General of Police execute the warrant of arrest, following due diligence by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Committee Chairman Micheal Irom underscored the seriousness of the matter, instructing the IGP to ensure the CEOs’ presence before the committee on December 14.
The underlying petition, brought forward by Fidelis Uzowanem, hinges on the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) report for 2021.
Uzowanem alleged fraudulent transactions in the oil and gas industry, spanning back to 2016, with implications for the proposed 2024 budget of N27.5 trillion.
According to Uzowanem, the NEITI report revealed concealed illegal transactions, particularly within the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
He asserted that the recoverable amount identified in the report could potentially fund the national budget.
Among the alleged discrepancies, Uzowanem pointed out instances where NEITI’s reported figures did not align with the actual payments made to companies.
He accused NNPCL of using cash core payments for crude oil production as a channel for money laundering, implicating companies like Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd, Chevron, and Nigeria Agip Company.
The list of individuals subject to arrest includes the CEOs of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Ethiop Eastern Exploration and Production Company Ltd, and Western Africa Exploration and Production.
Source: Peoples Gazette
