http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-2777505/Large-Enis-Nigerian-oil-deal-cash-went-bribes-Italian-prosecutors.html#ixzz3KsKGaN2U
Italian prosecutors investigating state-backed firm Eni SpA over the purchase of a Nigerian oil field three years ago allege that at least half of the $1.1 billion paid was used to bribe local politicians, intermediaries and others, according to official documents and a person close to the investigation.

The Milan prosecutors have placed the Italian oil company, its former chief executive Paolo Scaroni and current CEO Claudio Descalzi under investigation for alleged international corruption surrounding the deal for the OPL 245 offshore oil field concession.

Eni and both managers, neither of whom have been charged, have denied any wrongdoing.

Calling on their UK counterpart to assist in freezing suspect assets, Italian prosecutors said in a letter to the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) seen by Reuters that at least $533 million was paid to Nigerian officials and intermediaries who helped secure the sale.

The case has been a setback for the government of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, because Italy's 39-year-old leader hand-picked company veteran Descalzi to run Eni as part of a recent management overhaul at the country's state-controlled companies. Renzi has publicly supported Descalzi and said no conclusions should be drawn before the investigation is completed.

Eni and Royal Dutch Shell, which is not under investigation, bought the rights to the OPL 245 offshore oil licence block from the Nigerian government in 2011.

Production from the deepwater oil field is expected to begin in 2016 with the field estimated to hold up to 9.23 billion barrels of crude, equivalent to nearly a quarter of the country's total proven reserves, according to industry figures.

An aide to Renzi told Reuters the case involving Eni, which is Italy's biggest company by market capitalisation and the state's biggest asset, was "not a big cause for concern at the moment."

As part of their investigation, the Italian prosecutors in May asked the UK's CPS to freeze $85 million in assets related to a Nigerian company, Malabu Oil & Gas, that prosecutors say was involved in the sale, according to a copy of the official request sent by the Milan investigators and seen by Reuters.

ARMOURED CARS

In the letter, the Italian prosecutors alleged that Scaroni and Descalzi oversaw the payments to parties who helped secure the sale. In a second letter they alleged that some of the ultimate recipients of alleged bribes used the money to buy aircraft and armoured cars.

"We are investigating many money transfers to many people in various countries who received sums that vary from millions of dollars to thousands of dollars," the prosecutors said in the follow-up letter, seen by Reuters.

In response to the requests London's Southwark Crown Court last month granted an order to seize the $85 million in assets related to Malabu, according to a judicial source.

London's Metropolitan Police has also been investigating aspects of the Nigerian deal since last year. A police spokesman said the inquiry into allegations of money laundering is continuing.

Descalzi and Scaroni, in statements and through their lawyers, denied that they were involved in any illegal behaviour. Descalzi also told Eni employees in an email seen by Reuters that he had not engaged in any wrongdoing.

After a board meeting last week Eni also reiterated that the company had not engaged in any wrongdoing and that it had "full confidence that Descalzi had acted properly."

OWNERSHIP DISPUTE

The OPL 245 block licence has long been the subject of dispute. It was first awarded a decade ago by military dictator Sani Abacha to Malabu Oil & Gas for a publicly-stated $20 million.

After the death of Abacha, a new Nigerian government annulled the deal. Malabu's licence was reinstated in 2006.

Reuters was not able to locate Malabu for comment, and it is unclear whether the company still exists.

Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, a government agency, did not reply to questions sent by Reuters asking about the investigation by Italian prosecutors.

Shell, which is not under investigation in any case, released a statement saying: "Shell companies have acted at all times in accordance with both Nigerian law and the terms of the OPL 245 resolution agreement with." (Additional reporting by Manuela D'Alessandro and Stephen Jewkes in Milan and Kirstin Ridley in London; Writing by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by Alessandra Galloni and Greg Mahlich

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They are basically saying Goodluck Jonathan or his fronts collected bribe from Italian Oil company ENI OF $553 MILLION in order to give them an Oil Block. I hope a VIP cell has been reserved for Goodluck Jonathan in Kirikiri by Mohammed Buhari. Now we know where he got the money to build his hotel in Bayelsa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egZqengwFnI

alabiyemmy:


Show me where the article mentioned GEJ or keep quiet forever - just bold the paragraph or the statement - let us see.

Please answer the follwing questions:
1)Who signs off Oil Blocks in Nigeria?
2)How will $533 million bribe flow to officials in Nigeria and not get to the President whose final signature is needed for the oil block ENI was interested in to be finalised?
3)Why did EFCC refuse all requests to speak on the matter,if they did'nt get an order from above?
4)Why is Goodluck Jonathan not interested in recovering the $533 million at a time of falling oil prices?
5)Why has'nt Goodluck Jonathan prosecuted the culprits(bribetakers) like the UK and Italians are doing on their end to the bribe givers?
6)Why is he embarrasing us and reinforcing our corrupt image in the foreign press in the most popular online newspaper Daily Mail UK which reaches a wider audience than New York Times ,by giving instructions to EFCC not to respond on the allegations.
I will continue to expose the corruption of this goverment,Nigerians are sick and tired of it.

#gbam facts

seges:

Please answer the follwing questions:
1)Who signs off Oil Blocks in Nigeria?
2)How will $533 million bribe flow to officials in Nigeria and not get to the President whose final signature is needed for the oil block ENI was interested in to be finalised?
3)Why did EFCC refuse all requests to speak on the matter,if they did'nt get an order from above?
4)Why is Goodluck Jonathan not interested in recovering the $533 million at a time of falling oil prices?
5)Why has'nt Goodluck Jonathan prosecuted the culprits(bribetakers) like the UK and Italians are doing on their end to the bribe givers?
6)Why is he embarrasing us and reinforcing our corrupt image in the foreign press in the most popular online newspaper Daily Mail UK which reaches a wider audience than New York Times ,by giving instructions to EFCC not to respond on the allegations.
I will continue to expose the corruption of this goverment,Nigerians are sick and tired of it.

You probably cant read - show me in the body of the story where the title you wrote came from. Be sensible for once.

alabiyemmy:



You probably cant read - show me in the body of the story where the title you wrote came from. Be sensible for once.

I've already answered you how I came about the title,read between the lines in the article. Now answer the 6 questions I listed .

Op, whatever you do, always bear this at the back of your mind: stealing is not corruption.

omenka:
Op, whatever you do, always bear this at the back of your mind: stealing is not corruption.

gej has both in him. Going by the defination of both words by him(from gej's dictionary); we can say gej is a thief!

seges:

I've already answered you how I came about the title,read between the lines in the article. Now answer the 6 questions I listed .

so why did you change the title?

This op need to have his head examined.

Abacha, with Buhari in his government, gave out this Block to one of his cronies for a mere $20 million.

Obasanjo cancelled the sale to Abacha crony and awarded the block to shell.
Abacha Cronies went to court, leading to a long delay in the development of a prolific field due to several court cases.

Jonathan govt, sat all contending parties down and they resolved that for the cases to be withdrawn and the field developed Shell and Agip should pay more money for the Field, out of the money paid, Abacha's cronies will be compensated so as to withdraw their cases and allow for the field to be developed by Shell and Agip.

Shell and agip paid money to Nigeria government, who in turn paid money to Abacha's cronies in line with their agreement.

When did payment of agreed money by sovereign government constitute a crime. More so when such agreement is to resolve a dispute that is preventing the development of up to 25% of our total crude reserve.

Once again this OP need to have his head examined.
The question is why did your buhari not oppose the giving out of the Oil block free of charge by Abacha to his cronies.

he was part of the Abacha's govt, he saw all these mismanagement of our oil wealth being perpertuated by Abacha then, he chose to keep quiet. Only to turn back later and proclaim that Abacha was not corrupt. Tomorrow Buhari will also tell me that Tinubu is not corrupt