OpeOluwani Akintayo
11 August 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — The Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), has continuously avoided calls from SweetcrudeReports over the N329 billion the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said it recovered from nine of its members.
Since news about the recovery broke in July, SweetcrudeReports had put a call through to the Secretary of the group, Obafemi Olawore, who assured that it would issue an official statement on its stand on the fraud reportedly perpetuated by its members.
However, the MOMAN chief has repeatedly avoided subsequent calls placed to his mobile number, 08023129789.
On July 26, EFCC said it recovered a whopping N329 billion from nine oil marketers.
The recovery is reported to be in response to a petition against the leadership of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiary, Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) by the Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN), which alleged that N40bn had been diverted by the major oil marketers in connivance with the leadership of both organisations.
A statement from the anti-graft agency said investigations by EFCC operatives revealed that from 2010 to 2016, the oil marketers were owing the Federal Government of Nigeria N91.5bn.
“So far, a sum of N328,988,296,990.62 (three hundred and twenty-eight billion, nine hundred eighty-eight million, two hundred and ninety-six thousand, nine hundred and ninety naira, sixty-two kobo) has been recovered from the major oil marketers.
“The outstanding debt now stands at N20,765,919,869.48 (twenty billion, seven hundred and sixty-five million, nine hundred and nineteen thousand, eight hundred sixty-nine naira, forty-eight kobo),” the statement read.
The commission alleged that further investigation also revealed that the oil marketers had continued to obtain petroleum products from the government without proper payment, in violation of the NNPC/PPMC credit facility regulations.
The affected companies include NNPC retails, Conoil Plc, Total Plc, OVH Energy Plc, Oando Plc, Forte Oil and Gas Plc, Mobil Plc, MRS Oil Plc, and NIPCO Oil Plc.
