US Congress Writes Justice Department, Urges Them To Challenge Tinubu’s Decision!

Two members of the United States Congress are urging the Department of Justice to reopen an investigation into oil giants Shell and Eni over allegations of corruption surrounding a 2011 deal for lucrative Nigerian oil bloc Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245.

Their call comes after Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu controversially restored the oil block’s ownership to the European firms.

In a letter dated May 8, 2024 to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Representatives Maxine Waters and Joyce Beatty alleged that Shell and Eni violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by paying over $1.1 billion in bribes to Nigerian officials, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, to secure the OPL 245 oil rights.

“Available evidence implicates both companies in a scheme that resulted in the payment of $1.1 billion in bribes to Nigerian government officials,” stated the lawmakers from the financial services and national security committees.

They emphasised that U.S. law prohibits American firms from bribing foreign officials to benefit their business interests.

Shell and Eni, being registered with the SEC, “continue to profit from the deal in violation of the FCPA,” they added.

“Eni’s legal challenge, filed at the International Centre for Settlement of Investor Disputes (ICSID) and based upon the corruptly acquired prospecting license and related Resolution Agreement, as well as the use of the original contract in arbitration proceedings, constitutes further violation of the FCPA.

“The ICSID proceedings are currently suspended until May 23, 2024, with the agreement of the parties, suggesting that a settlement is being negotiated. Allegations have been made in the Nigerian press of further corruption relating to a settlement,” the lawmakers said.

“Shell and Eni, both registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), continue to profit from the deal in violation of the FCPA.

“The reopening of this case would further illustrate the U.S.’ commitment to ‘aggressively pursue foreign bribery cases,’ as stated in the U.S. Strategy on Countering Corruption and reaffirm its pledge to fully implement the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.

“We urge you to leverage this potent anti-corruption law to address the issues in this case and to send a powerful message that the United States stands vigilant in its pursuit of corporate crime around the globe,” they added.

OPL 245 is perhaps the most talked-about asset in Nigeria’s oil industry. It covers 1958 square kilometers and holds over nine billion barrels of crude oil, equivalent to nearly one-quarter of Nigeria’s total proven reserves.

The deal popularly called the Malabu scandal involved the alleged transfer of about $1.1 billion by Shell and ENI through the Nigerian government to accounts controlled by a former Nigerian petroleum minister, Dan Etete.

From accounts controlled by Etete, it was alleged that about half the money ($520 million) went to accounts of companies controlled by Aliyu Abubakar, popularly known in Nigeria as the owner of AA oil.

Anti-corruption investigators and activists suspect he fronted for top officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration as well as officials of Shell and ENI.

The transaction was authorised in 2011 by Jonathan through some of his cabinet ministers and the money was payment for OPL 245, one of Nigeria’s richest oil blocks.

The oil resources of the OPL 245 license have remained undeveloped since the controversies began.

https://businessday.ng/news/article/us-lawmakers-write-justice-department-to-re-investigate-nigerias-1-3-billion-oil-field-scandal

Emilokan, emilokan,
Baba wey no well
e dey shout emilokan!!!!

hand dey shake
leg dey shake,
Baba wey no well
E dey shout Emilokan.

the wonderment of the EMILOKAN ERA.
The people we are traveling to convince to invest in us are showing us the corruption within.

US is fighting for her own interest.

The Americans don't take it lightly those who violates their laws, be you who! If they can haul an ex POTUS, with knowledge about the working of the Govt including nuke secrets, then who the heck might you been! The investigation off course would uncover how much bribe money was dished out for the new license!

With Asiwaju, the embarrassment never stops?

slimjohn2k5:
US is fighting for her own interest.

Baba emiloka is failure personified!

Franklyspeakin:
Emilokan, emilokan,
Baba wey no well
e dey shout emilokan!!!!

hand dey shake
leg dey shake,
Baba wey no well
E dey shout Emilokan.

the wonderment of the EMILOKAN ERA.
The people we are traveling to convince to invest in us are showing us the corruption within.

This thing na jonathan sign am then, why una dey shout tinubu name?

Because despite the bribery allegations, which both companies have agreed to, Asiwaju has recently reissued the OML license.

The investigations would determine if bribes had passed hands, which I'm sure might have! Which the Americans genuinely & curiously wants to know!

Sprinklepee:
This thing na jonathan sign am then, why una dey shout tinubu name?

With the way things are going interpol will impound mandate thief soon like a common criminal he is , throw in into jail and make sure he is hanged, feet dangling for all the drugs he shipped from Columbia to America in 80s and 90s per the new drug law death penalty in Nigeria. Us will apply that law concurrently and other of his aides like gbajabiamila deserve death too for polluting US with drugs

BigkokoRep:
Because despite the bribery allegations, which both companies have agreed to, Asiwaju has recently reissued the OML license.

The investigations would determine if bribes had passed hands, which I'm sure might have! Which the Americans genuinely & curiously wants to know!

thanks op, i understand why the USA stand.

Sprinklepee:
thanks op, i understand why the USA stand.

how far na

BigkokoRep:
Because despite the bribery allegations, which both companies have agreed to, Asiwaju has recently reissued the OML license.

The investigations would determine if bribes had passed hands, which I'm sure might have! Which the Americans genuinely & curiously wants to know!

Hypocrisy must dey worry you, cases way Federal Government done lose for Court for Europe, na em you dey spread propaganda about?

Una show of shame will never desist because una lose election they follow your kinsmen way dey waste em time?

slimjohn2k5:
US is fighting for her own interest.

$1b ?

slimjohn2k5:
US is fighting for her own interest.

$1b ? You dey whine?

rinzaugustine:
With the way things are going interpol will impound mandate thief soon like a common criminal he is , throw in into jail and make sure he is hanged, feet dangling for all the drugs he shipped from Columbia to America in 80s and 90s per the new drug law death penalty in Nigeria. Us will apply that law concurrently and other of his aides like gbajabiamila deserve death too for polluting US with drugs

This nonsense above by rinzaugustine, must be from the effects of: