NNPC Tells National Assembly no 48m Barrels of Crude Oil is Missing

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) once again denied any knowledge of missing 48 million barrels of crude oil as claimed by the Samano Sa De CV.

Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director, NNPC, who was represented by Umar Ajiya, the Chief Finance Officer, at the National Assembly on Thursday, told the National Assembly’s joint committee led by Senator Solomon Adeola, Chairman of the committee, that 48 million barrels were not missing as widely reported.

He challenged the National Assembly to conduct an independent forensic audit on the corporation’s operations at its own cost.

The issue of the alleged missing 48 million barrels started after Mr. Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), counsel to Samano Sa De CV claimed, in a widely published statement, that some NNPC officials and top government officials stole 48 million barrels of crude oil estimated at about $2.06 billion in 2015.

In the letter titled ‘Formal Request for the Payment of five per cent Whistleblower Compensation For Information Furnished In Respect of Crude Oil Stolen from the Federal Republic of Nigeria’, Gboyega Oyewole said Mr. Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director, NNPC and Mr. Umar Mohammed were informed of the theft but refused to act as expected.

Samano Sa De CV, who claimed to be in possession of bank transfers, names of vessels and captains that moved the stolen crude oil through China, demanded a 5 percent whistleblower fee despite NNPC denying the missing crude oil.

NNPC told the joint committee that there is no way the said ship would have left the country without clearance from the Nigerian Navy and escape from the Nigerian shore.

Kyari said, “No ship leaves the country without clearance from the appropriate unit of the Nigerian Navy and there is no way any ship with such alleged stolen crude could escape from the Nigerian shore.

He said, “As far as the NNPC is concerned, no barrel of crude oil is missing as falsely alleged.

“We are very ready to be investigated over it in the form of commissioning of a forensic audit by the National Assembly at its own cost.”

Senator Solomon Adeola, however, refused the corporation’s verbal denial and insisted on evidence.