Femi Falana writes EFCC to track billions of Nigerian monies diverted by NNPC and Banks

Mr. Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria has written the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to track billions of Nigeria’s money either diverted or withheld  by the multinational oil companies, the NNPC and Nigerian banks.

In the open  letter addressed to the acting chairman of the agency, it appeared Falana resorted to EFCC help following the failure of the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, to take steps to recover the various money since the letter he wrote on 8 April.

One of the transactions and allegations that  the leading human rights activist seeks EFCC probe has already elicited some reaction from Chukwuma Soludo,   the former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, said to have given $7billion to Nigerian banks without retrieving the money.

Soludo dismissed the allegation as “ignorant” and “blatant lies”, and demanded evidence or an apology.

“I largely ignore such ignorant commentaries,” he said in a statement.

“However, Femi Falana is one of the Nigerians I deeply respect, and I am sure many Nigerians also hold him in very high esteem. I was therefore shocked beyond belief that someone like him could fabricate and peddle blatant lies.”

Here are all the allegations that Falana wants EFCC to  investigate:

1. By a letter dated January 27, 2016 the National Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) disclosed to us that from five cycles of independent audit reports covering 1999-2012 it had confirmed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, some oil companies and certain agencies of the Federal Government had withheld $20.2 billion from the Federation  Account. Despite repeated requests of  some civil society organizations  the Federal Government has refused to recover the said sum of  $20.2 billion.

2. Sometime in 2006, former Central Bank Governor, Profesor Chukwuma Soludo removed  $7 billion  from  the nation’s external reserves and doled it out  to 14 Nigerian banks. Two years later, the Central Bank Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (the current Emir of Kano) also gave a bailout of N600 billion  to the same  banks. The request of some civil society organisations for the recovery  of the huge  loan of $7 billion and N600 billion from the commercial banks  has been ignored by the  management of the Central Bank.

3. On September 6, 2016,  the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced that arrangements had been concluded to recover the sum of $9.6 billion in over-deducted tax benefits from joint venture partners on major capital projects and oil swap contracts. Although  the NNPC has  recovered the said sum of $9.6 billion, it has failed to remit same to the Federation Account without any legal justification.

4. In 2009, Mobil Oil Producing Nigeria Unlimited applied to the Federal Government for the renewal of three oil blocks. Upon granting the application, the NNPC asked Mobil to pay the sum of $2.5 billion for the renewal of the licenses. While Mobil made a part payment of  $600 million it  undertook to invest the outstanding sum of $1.9 billion in the energy sector. But as Mobil did not invest the said sum in the energy sector  the Civil Society Network Against Corruption has requested the EFCC to investigate the fraudulent transa

5. From 1998-2014, the Federal Government successfully recovered over $4 billion from the Abacha loot. However, based on the refusal of the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation  to account for the recovered loot the Socio Economic Rights  and Accountability Project (SERAP) applied to  the Federal High Court for an order of mandamus. Even though the Court granted the order  the Federal Government has failed to account for the recovered loot. In the circumstances, we have submitted a petition to the EFCC to investigate the alleged criminal diversion of the recovered loot.

6. In the Appropriation Act, 2011, the sum of N245 billion was earmarked for fuel subsidy. In violation of the Act, the Central Bank of Nigeria headed by Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi paid the sum of N2.5 trillion to a cabal of fuel importers. Following our petition the EFCC conducted an investigation into the  fraud but the exercise was compromised due to pressure from the former  Jonathan administration. Even though  the EFCC has charged some of the suspects to court the investigation ought to be reopened with a view to getting to the root of the monumental fraud.

“In view of the foregoing we are compelled to request you to use your good offices to recover the aforesaid sums of money and proceed to prosecute the corporate bodies and individuals involved in the economic  sabotage which has contributed to the nation’s economic recession. Be rest assured that we are prepared to provide all relevant documents to facilitate your  investigation of the serious economic and financial crimes disclosed in this petition”, Falana wrote.

It is hoped that you will not hesitate to accede to our request in view of the increasing  pressures being mounted on the Federal Government by the parasitic faction of the ruling class to auction  the remaining assets  of the nation.