The Senate thrugh its Committee on Finance has commenced investigation into the sales of seized 1.7 million barrels of crude oil allegedly by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Director of Operations of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Sola Oluwagbire, made the allegation Thursday during an interactive session on revenue leakage in the maritime sector with the Senate Committee on Finance.
He alleged that the crude barrels were seized by the Nigerian Navy between 2021 and first quarter of 2022 from oil thieves.
Giving a breakdown of the seized items, he said 44 vessels were arrested in 2021 with 1.6 million barrels of crude and 4.6 million litres of PMS, while 13 vessels loaded with 154,000 barrels of crude were seized within first quarter of 2022.
He told the committee that the seized vessels were handed over to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since the Nigerian Navy was not a prosecuting agency.
When asked by the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (APC Lagos West), about the whereabouts of the confiscated crude, Oluwagbire said the anti-graft agency has disposed them.
In making further findings, Senator Adeola asked the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, whether the proceeds of the sales had been remitted into the Federation Account but the Minister said she was not aware of how the seized crude were handled.
“I am not aware how the seized products were handled,” she said.
Speaking after the session, Senator Adeola told newsmen that his committee has asked the Nigerian Navy to provide more details about the siezed items.
He also said the panel would invite the EFCC to get more information about the matter.
“We have asked the Navy to supply us with information, we want to know the current state of the seized products. NNPC is going to appear before us on Monday and we will invite EFCC,” he said.
