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Calls for the probe of the erstwhile Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) continued to summation crushed connected Monday arsenic a radical of lawyers submitted a petition to the Minister of Finance, demanding the mounting up of a judicial committee of enquiry to analyse his tenure astatine the nationalist lipid company.
The lawyers, nether the aegis of the Guardians of Democracy And Rule Of Law, specifically demanded an probe into the $4 cardinal Kyari reportedly spent connected refineries repairs.
They alleged that Kyari’s enactment was marked by monumental corruption, taxation evasion, maltreatment of bureau and misappropriation of nationalist funds.
Led by Barrister Benjamin Theophilus, the lawyers claimed that the magnitude spent connected refineries repairs was inflated, citing a connection by a consortium of backstage assemblage firms to repair the 3 refineries for astir $1 billion.
The petition highlighted respective areas of concern, including alleged fraudulent allocation of crude lipid proceeds, misappropriation of funds successful the AKK Gas Pipeline Project, substance subsidy fraud, and worth reappraisal for NNPCL’s crude-backed loans.
“Mele Kyari is alleged to person collaborated with definite consultants and contractors progressive successful the refineries rehabilitation projects to conceal the existent outgo of the contracts and evade taxes owed to the Federal Government.
“Seven years ago, determination was a connection by a consortium of backstage assemblage firms to repair the 3 refineries, with a full capableness of 445 kbpd (thousand barrels per day) for astir $1 billion.
“NNPCL nether Mele Kyari has expended $1.5 cardinal connected the Port Harcourt Refinery, $1.5 cardinal connected the Warri Refinery and $1 cardinal connected the Kaduna Refinery bringing the full of what Kyari spent connected the refineries to much than $4 cardinal arsenic opposed to the $1 cardinal that the consortium has requested for each the refineries.
“Even aft expending these inflated sums, the refineries are incapable to nutrient gasoline without utilizing ample quantities of chemicals from Indorama. This is simply a monumental task outgo ostentation arsenic astir $500 cardinal is capable to physique a marque caller elemental 600 kbpd refinery that volition run astatine a amended efficiency.
“There is credible accusation that crude lipid allocations were diverted, and fiscal transactions were carried retired nether the guise of ‘pipeline security’ astatine a suspicious complaint of 80,000 barrels per day, with nary transparent process oregon accountability mechanism.
“The AKK Pipeline Project, initially valued astatine $5 cardinal has been riddled with irregularities successful the grant and execution of contracts. Despite respective budgetary provisions and overseas financing arrangements, determination is small carnal advancement oregon transparency successful money utilization.
“There person been repeated allegations of fraud tied to the outgo of substance subsidy. It is instructive to enactment that portion the remainder of the satellite witnessed a diminution successful substance depletion successful 2020 owed to COVID, NNPCL accrued its imports of petroleum products during the aforesaid period.
“Under Mele Kyari, NNPCL took assorted crude-backed loans which deed $21.565 cardinal since 2019. Aside from mortgaging aboriginal production, the operation of these loans disadvantage Nigeria arsenic upside from trading Nigeria’s crude successful the planetary marketplace was ceded to traders,” parts of the petition read.
Guardians of Democracy And Rule Of Law insisted connected a thorough probe into Kyari’s tenure and the betterment of nationalist funds if recovered to person been misappropriated.
The lawyers besides called for collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to probe suspected taxation evasion and fraudulent declarations.
They stressed that the request for a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the affairs of the NNPCL successful the past 5 years is non-negotiable.
According to the group, the projected committee should beryllium made up of Nigerians of impeccable character, led by a erstwhile justness of the Supreme Court.
The petition was submitted to an authoritative of the Ministry of Finance, who received the copies connected behalf of the minister.
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