Trail Reporters
As the anti graft war of President Muhammadu Buhari goes tougher to recover stolen funds from public officials, the office of the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation /Minister of Justice is set to recover over N7 billion looted by the Director-General of one of the Federal Government Agencies, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).
Recollect that, Trail Reporters had earlier published, details on how the Director-General of NOSDRA, Sir Peter Idabor and an Acting Director in Charge of the Agency’s Oil & Field Assessment, B. O Akindele in connivance with some officials of Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company (SEEPCO) defrauded over N7 billion meant for the Federal Government. Investigation by Trail Reporters, revealed that, Sir Peter Idabor and B.O Akindele violated Section 6(2) of NOSDRA Act 2006, which states that an oil spiller must report any oil spill in writing within 24 hours of its occurrence to NOSDRA and failure to do so shall attract a penalty of N500,000 for each day of default. We gathered that Oil Spills in four different locations in Kwale, Delta State, occurred and the causative company, SEEPCO, refused to report them for over a year until Engr. Friday Ani exposed SEEPCO to NOSDRA.
The default fine amounting to N7 billion naira which ought to be paid by SEEPCO into the Federation Account controlled by NOSDRA was diverted for their personal use. Documents sighted by our reporters, revealed that the Director-General of NOSDRA, Sir Peter Idabor, in response to a query issued to him by the Hon. Minister of Justice, Hon. Abubakar Malami, through the Director of Citizens’ Right Department, F.K Bebu, claimed he only issued a warning letter to SEEPCO for violating Section 6(2) of the NOSDRA Act because they are first time offenders.
A copy of the NOSDRA Act made available to the legal team of Trail Reporters revealed that, after a careful study of the entire NOSDRA Act 2006, it was discovered that no section of the Act empowered NOSDRA to waive revenue meant for the Federal Government, making it a criminal act.
Several follow up reports by our team of investigative journalists, revealed how Deputy-Inspector-General of Police in Charge of FCIID Abuja, Hyacinth M. Dagala was alleged to have collected bribes to the tune of N20 million to doctor or outrightly destroy the investigative report of ACP Makiluso Umaro who investigated the alleged fraud against NOSDRA and SEEPCO.
We gathered that a Federal High Court Judgement delivered in Asaba by Justice Olatoregun-Ishola in November 2015 has settled Section 6(2) of the NOSDRA Act. NOSDRA had instituted a suit against SEEPCO on February 17th, 2012 when it failed to pay a default fine of N68 million for failure to report an oil spill. The Federal High Court ruled in favour of NOSDRA that, by the enabling NOSDRA Act, it was clear that SEEPCO were in breach of section 6(2) and that NOSDRA had powers to sanction SEEPCO and ordered SEEPCO to pay the N68 million sanction.
Investigation by our correspondents reveal that the Hon. Minister of Justice through its Director in charge of Citizens’ Right Department, Federal Ministry of Justice, had invited the Director- General of NOSDRA, Sir Peter Idabor and the Acting Director, Oil Field Assessment, NOSDRA, Mr. B.O Akindele to have an interface with the petitioners Engr. Friday Ani and Chief Ikechukwu Nwanbueze to ascertain the truth over allegations of fraud levied against NOSDRA by the petitioners.
We gathered that, the meeting which was fixed for 10th of October 2017, had in attendance, Sir Peter Idabor, Mr. B.O Akindele, Engr. Friday Ani, Chief Ikechukwu Nwabueze and others. We learnt that the meeting was chaired by the Director in charge of Citizens’ Right Department, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. F. K Bebu with over five Chief/Senior State Counsels attached to the Federal Ministry of Justice present in the Hon. Minister’s Conference Room, 5th Floor, Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja.
Very reliable sources within the Ministry of Justice informed our correspondents that the Meeting had barely commenced when an important observation was made by Sir Peter Idabor that SEEPCO officials weren’t present in the meeting as their names were captured in the petition which is the subject of discussion, and this also made the petitioners to request that the Investigative Police Officer, ACP Makiluso Umaro who investigated the allegations of fraud against NOSDRA and whose name was also captured in the petition be invited to testify before the Committee.
The Observations pointed out by both Sir Peter Idabor and Engr. Friday Ani were unanimously adopted by the Committee and it was decided that both the Police Officer, ACP Makiluso Umaro who investigated the case and the oil company, SEEPCO should be invited officially, after which the meeting was adjourned to 6th November, 2017 for continuation. Sources familiar with the case confirmed to our reporters that invitation letters had been dispatched to the Police and SEEPCO. We gathered that, there is serious tension within the top hierarchy of the Police following the invitation of ACP Makiluso Umaro, the investigative Police Officer who investigated the case.
Information reaching Trail Reporters news desk revealed that there is serious pressure from top ranking police officers on ACP Makiluso Umaro to cover up his police report which indicted NOSDRA and SEEPCO officials of defrauding the Federal Government when he testifies before the Committee set up by the Hon. Minster of Justice early next month. Inquiries about the calibre of the Committee members revealed that, they are well bred, trained and professional lawyers with proven integrities who are equal to the task of recovering looted funds if any has been stolen. Speaking with a police officer from X-Squad FCIID Abuja, he informed us that the invitation letter extended to ACP Makiluso Umaro to testify before the Committee set up by the Minister of Justice, will be one of the greatest challenges, ACP Makiluso Umaro may ever face since he was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force.
Our source was quoted as saying ” If ACP Makiluso Umaro speak the truth about his investigation/report, he will face serious victimization from his corrupt Superior Officers and if he is not careful, he may be dismissed on trump up allegations, and if he decides to cover up his earlier report which indicted NOSDRA and SEEPCO officials and he is caught, that is automatic dismissal for misleading the Federal Government and violating the Code of Conduct for Police officers.”
We learnt that Makiluso Umaro was recently promoted from a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) to an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and has up till now, been known to be a dedicated officer with integrity.
Information reaching Trail Reporters indicates that there is renewed threat to the lives of the petitioners. Efforts to speak with the Director of Citizens’ Right Department, F.K Bebu for comments was not fruitful as he was not in his office as at the time of filing in this report.