AGF Rejects Allegations of Involvement in Crude Oil Theft

SEATTLE (Oil Monster): The Nigerian justice minister and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami rejected allegations of his involvement in crude oil theft before the ad-hoc committee House of Representatives. Malami appeared before the committee in company with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice/Solicitor-General of the Federation, Beatrice Jedy-Agba.

The committee has been investigating the alleged sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil in 2015, valued at over $2.4 billion. The investigation involves thorough checking of revenues from crude oil exports out of the country from 2014 onwards.

Malami said that the hearing was not necessary at all, because it has nothing to do with his office or him personally. The allegation about his involvement, raised by a whistleblower, lacks substance and is totally baseless, he noted. Furthermore, he stated that there were no particulars whatsoever of the vessels that transported Nigerian crude oil to China. It must be noted that Malami had raised the same arguments during his first appearance before the committee.

Meantime, the committee noted that the minister was invited with the hope that there would be more clarity with regards to the allegations of the involvement of his office in authorisation and remittance of payment in connection with the sales.