Reps to engage stakeholders on suspected illegal crude sale

The House of Representatives says it plans to partner with stakeholders to investigate the alleged loss of over 2.4 billion dollars revenue due to illegal sale of crude oil.

Rep. Mark Gbillah, the Chairman of the House ad hoc committee investigating the matter, said this at the National Assembly Complex Abuja during inaugural meeting of the committee  in Abuja.

The lawmaker who assured  whistleblowers of utmost confidentiality, said the Investigation was inline with President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption drive.

He said the committee had to be set up now seven years after the incident because it was brought to the fore in 2020 and the House needed background information for a thorough investigation and outcome.

Gbillah solicited for the support of individuals and corporate organisations to enable the committee achieve its mandate.

A member of the committee, Rep. Ganiyu Johnson (APC-Lagos)  said that as part of efforts to revive the various refineries in the country, the House Committee on the state of refineries visited some of the refineries.

He  gave assurances that Port Harcourt and Warri refineries would start full operation by first and last quarters of 2023.

“We want to assure all the whistleblowers who have revelations to provide to this honourable committee that their information would be treated in the strictest level of confidence.

“We can receive evidence behind closed doors before we make them public because we too are concerned about spurious and false allegations.

” So we too want to determine and see the facts behind any such allegations before we bring them to public knowledge because we are a public body saddler with the representation of the Nigerian people,” he said.