Falana Reveals How $12.7bn Oil Money Was Stolen Between 2011 n 2014

A human right lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana has revealed that not less than $12.7bn crude oil was siphoned from the nation's treasury within a period of three years through illegal oil sales.

In a report available in The Punch, the human right lawyer, during a 40th anniversary celebration of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Thursday, October 18, in Abuja, said between 2011 and 2014, royalties from the oil companies in the countries that were meant to remitted into the federal account were stolen.

Legit.ng gathers that Falana also charged PENGASSAN to corporate with the anti-graft agencies in the country for the recovery of the siphoned funds.

Revealing how he got the information, Falana expressed that the data was compiled by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), promising to make the report available to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other stakeholders.

He said: "The study revealed that the value of the money from oil stolen from Nigeria is $12.7bn. The oil was discharged in one port. We have identified who the oil majors are and the shipping companies involved; but since 2014, we have been begging the Nigerian government to recover the money."

Falana also charged PENGASSAN, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to collectively facilitate a process that will ensure that all the money got from the illegal shipping of crude oil to nations like China, France, India, United States are refunded back to the national treasury.

He said: "This is the real money that should be recovered. That is why I am appealing to NUPENG, PENGASSAN and the NLC to assist in going to the root of this criminality at the international level and recover the money and put it in the federation’s coffers so that our people can enjoy the benefits of the oil and gas industry."

In his words, the managing director of NNPC, Maikanti Baru urged the PENGASSAN to partner with the oil regulating body to ensure that there is efficiency and and a formidable synergy towards a better oil sector.

He said: "The NNPC appreciates your consistent involvement in the industry’s policy formulation, the most recent being the petroleum industry bill; the corporation also appreciate your advocacy for robust local content development as well as your complementary role to grow a virile and productive economy for the country.

“These have gone a long way to demonstrate the high stake you have exhibited in the service of the industry and the nation. I can only add that you keep up your good work.”

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Falana had called for an end to the wearing of military uniforms by personnel outside the barracks. 

Falana said the soldiers should be stopped from wearing their uniforms in order to check criminal activities being perpetrated across Nigeria.

Speaking in Lagos while delivering the 19th Mike Okonkwo annual lecture, Falana said some soldiers, while wearing uniform outside the barracks, provided covers for criminals and helped them beat security checks.