$17bn stolen crude: FG to prepare criminal charge against IOCs- AGF
The Federal Government has disclosed that it is considering the option of filing criminal charges against International Oil Companies (IOCs) implicated in the alleged export of $17 billion worth of Nigeria’s undeclared crude and gas resources between 2011 and 2014.
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), stated this on Tuesday when he appeared before an ad-hoc committee of the House of Representatives in Abuja.
The committee, chaired by Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas (APC, Adamawa), is investigating the alleged crude and gas theft.
Malami further explained that his office is investigating the level of involvement of the concerned companies to establish concrete evidence to sustain the criminal charges before proceeding to court.
But the minister stated that nine civil suit were already instituted in Lagos and Abuja against some IOCs and other oil firms primarily to recover the government’s undeclared crude and gas resources.
The AGF also clarified that though the period under investigation preceded the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, he insisted that government felt compelled to pursue the cases in order to the recover the money for the collective good of the country.
He also admitted that former President Goodluck Jonathan, under whose regime, the alleged theft took place, initiated the processes for the civil litigation in 2013.
