Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami has denied granting approval to a firm, Omoh Jay Nigeria Limited purportedly standing trial in court for stealing crude oil and diesel to auction goods seized from it.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Gwandu, the Minister said the
Omoh Jay Nigeria Limited was granted approval through the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR in a letter dated 11th August, 2009 to evacuate the products onboard of MT AKUADA and MT HOPE. The approval predated the coming of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and appointment of Malami as the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The statement says the disposal of the vessels was however done following the final forfeiture obtained on the Presidential Directive of 25th October, 2018 directing the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF before the passage of the Proceeds of Crime Bill into law. This he says was the appropriate transitional arrangements for the management and expeditious disposal of the realizable assets to preserve their economic value.
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The AGF insists that the disposal of the vessels under reference was conducted with due process following a report submitted by the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing on the value of the assets.
The statement adds that Omoh Jay Nigeria Limited is one of the 38 auctioneers appointed by the AGF after being selected during the opening of the pre-qualification bid despite its legal battles in court.
The accusations against Malami may not be unconnected to the ongoing investigation against the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu by the Presidential Probe Panel. Malami whose allegations are the basis for the probe had accused Magu of mismanaging assets forfeited to Government in corruption cases decided by the courts.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
