Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Alkali, has told the House of Representatives that the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, was better positioned to answer questions on the alleged loss of $2.4 billion to illegal sale of crude oil in 2015.
The said loss was reportedly occasioned by illegal sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil export in 2015.
The IGP stated this on Thursday when he appeared before the Ad-hoc Committee Investigating Alleged Loss of Over $2.4 Billion from Illegal Sale of 48 Million Barrels of Crude Oil Export in 2015, including Crude Oil Export From 2014 Till date.
According to the IGP, who was represented by AIG Garba Baba Umar, the Interpol had received a petition about some individuals who blackmailed and extorted money from government officials and swung into action by inviting them, while others have fled the country.
“It is my responsibility to act on any information received. I assure you, we are not investigating, we are only inviting people to come and say their own part of the story,” Alkali said, adding that the Interpol wrote to the whistleblowers, who brought information to the House, stressing that part of his responsibilities was to assist law enforcement agents with tools to carry out their investigations.
The police boss pointed out that the Interpol is a different arm of the police force and has different responsibilities and duties. “The Interpol has nothing to do with national police,” he stressed, stating that it therefore cannot be used to witch-hunt anyone.
Chairman of the Ad hoc committee, Hon. Mark Gbilla, had demanded to know why the whistle blowers who came to give more details to the House were being hunted; noting that one of the whistle blowers was supposed to be at the hearing but was afraid and feels intimidated.
“We found out that your department wrote to those two individuals which is not a coincidence. Why did the Interpol write to them before they came to the House?”Gbilla queried, tasking the police to rather collaborate with the committee for a success of the invest.
$2.4bn loss to oil theft: AGF in better position to answer questions, IGP tells Reps
