Crude oil export procedure in the country is facing one of the greatest scandals in recent times. A document obtained by LEADERSHIP shows how the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) allegedly exported crude oil worth $1.6 billion dollars with forged Export Clearance Permit.

The discovery of the document is causing so much unease in the NNPC and the Ministry of Trade and Investment, the issuer of Export Clearance Permits. The minister, Dr Olusegun Aganga, has written a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, promising to investigate the source of the letter and brief the president accordingly.

In the letter entitled “Investigation Into The Discovery Of A Forged Crude Oil And Gas Export Clearance Permit NO: CO/28/VOL.VIII/09, Purportedly Issued By The Federal Ministry Of Trade and Investment To NNPC For Shipment Of 24 Million Barrels Of Crude Oil And Gas In The Third Quarter ( July To September) 2012”, Aganga wrote: “May I humbly inform Mr. President that on Thursday, 4th October 2012, my Office was alerted of the existence of an Export Clearance Permit No. CO/28/VOL III/09 purportedly issued by my office to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the export of crude oil and gas from Nigeria for the period covering the 1st July 2012 to the 30th September 2012.

“ On a closer examination, it was discovered that one of the permits was not, in fact, issued by my office and may have been forged as it did not bear the security features that we had built into the original permit forms to prevent such forgeries. Had these security features not been in place it would have been difficult to detect the forgery. (See Annexures I [Authentic] & II [Forged]).”

The minister explained, “On October 8, 2012, the matter was officially reported to the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation to determine the identity of the fraudster(s), identify the fraud indicators and how the opportunity presented itself.

“Mr. President is invited to note that the measures introduced in the past 14 months by my Ministry has strengthened the regulatory environment in the oil and gas sector and most importantly on the procedures for the issuance of the export clearance permit as the discovery of the forged export clearance permit has attested to. May I humbly aver that I will personally brief Your Excellency on events regarding the investigation as they unfold. Please, accept the assurances of my highest regards and esteem.”

The discovery of the document is coming at a time those conversant with developments in the nation’s crude oil business contest the quantity the NNPC claims it exports.

Earlier this month the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, queried the accuracy of the country’s crude oil production, which currently stands at 2.7 million barrels per day, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The CBN boss made the observations while defending the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) forwarded to the House on September 20 by President Goodluck Jonathan, preparatory to the transmission of the 2013 Appropriation Bill.

Sanusi, who appeared before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Finance, Legislative Budget and Research, National Planning and Aid, Loans and Debt Management, reiterated the apex bank’s commitment to stability of the economy, and stressed the need to strengthen the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

He explained that oil was a commodity with price volatility and that the best way to save the budget was to increase output and block leakages, especially through oil bunkering and “bombing illegal refineries in the Niger Delta”.

However, when contacted, acting group general manger, group public affairs division, NNPC, Fidel Pepple said, “We are not aware of the document; it is absolutely a forged document and it did not emanate from us. ”

When asked if the alleged forgers of the permit may have exported the said quantity of crude oil with such document, Pepple said it is “absolutely impossible”, citing what he called “the checks and balance mechanism in place” to detect such transaction.

But a thorough examination of the Export Clearance Permit shows data found in genuine permits with the following information: Serial No-Q33006030; Name of Exporter, NNPC; Dept. of Petroleum Resources Reference No. DPR/DS/CTO/28/VOL.V111/09, Product Description, Bonny Light Crude; Quantity 24,000,000 Barrels; FOB Value Estimate in US Dollars $1,680,000,000; Product full description and grade Bonny Light Crude, amongst other information. It has the signature of the trade and investment minister, Olusegun Aganga, and the seal of the ministry. The only feature the document does not have is an enlarged Nigerian coat of arms buried in the permit.

But according to the guidelines issued by the Commodities and Products Inspectorate Department of the Trade and Investment ministry, companies qualified to obtain the export permit from the ministry includes the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), international oil companies, Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) Ltd., indigenous oil producing companies, major oil and marketing companies, independent petroleum marketing Companies(IPMAN or DAPPMA companies) with current DPR licence for receptacles/storage facilities (i.e. jetties/depots).

A source in the Commodities and Products Directorate in the Trade and Investment ministry admitted that he was aware of the alleged fake permit, but insisted he had no idea where it came from as it was not issued by them.

The source further said that the permit issued in the period had lower crude oil quantity than in the said fake permit.

LEADERSHIP checks at the Nigeria Customs Service revealed that the signature of the authorising official and stamp were forged, as the document was never at the NCS registry on July 2, 2012, as the stamp on the document showed.

What is puzzling however is why the forger chose the NNPC as his company name and not any of the other companies that are also qualified to export crude oil as listed above.

“And why is the supposed fake document receiving the measure of attention which has necessitated a letter to the presidency?” a source who would not want his name mentioned queried.

He added that nothing was impossible in Nigeria as government officials were notorious for ignoring due process.

source - http://www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/38151/2012/10/23/aganga_writes_jonathan_over_missing_16bn_oil_money.html

Nigeria has to be one of the few countries in the world where lightning strikes the same spot repeatedly, without raising an eyebrow.

eGuerrilla: Nigeria has to be one of the few countries in the world where lightning strikes the same spot repeatedly, without raising an eyebrow.

Stop telling me you are not an investigative reporter. You're providing us some vital information the public lack.

payless:
Stop telling me you are not an investigative reporter. You're providing us some vital information the public lack.

Bro, I am nothing of the sort.
What actually brought this thread back to life is an article in today's edition of Leadership newspaper, which I could not be bothered to post here.

Wow! This fraud has been going on for ages. Imagine government officials forging vital documents in this world we live in? Sanusi Lamido has been on their trails for a while I believe. He now has them by their balls. I can see why they are running from pillar to post while grasping for air.


Naija I hail thee.......

needful country

eGuerrilla:

Bro, I am nothing of the sort.
What actually brought this thread back to life is an article in the today's edition of Leadership newspaper, which I could not be bothered to post here.

Imagine this fraud was brought to the attention of Jonathan but he looked the other way. Something is really going on for these officials to be acting with impunity. It means the president is involved in this graft without any doubt. There is more to what Sanusi Lamido has revealed. It has become a pattern. They have perfected this plan since Jonathan became president. They never thought it would come out.

Jonathan must go!

Same problem
a different matter
amosun here complaining about the useless Abuja .
Even if we cannot agree on anything ,we can agree that the federal government is too big.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGKFyIOo20I

Let see how the looting ends.

payless:


Imagine this fraud was brought to the attention of Jonathan but he looked the other way. Something is really going on for these officials to be acting with impunity. It means the president is involved in this graft without any doubt. There is more to what Sanusi Lamido has revealed. It has become a pattern. They have perfected this plan since Jonathan became president. They never thought it would come out.

Jonathan must go!

Jonathan must go
your last sentence is what got my attention, do you know what the next president is capable of doing
Note: not that i am in support of GEJ or any other candidate, but talking like you know what the next president is capable of doing is what beats my imagination.

greatgod2012:

Jonathan must go
your last sentence is what got my attention, do you know what the next president is capable of doing
Note: not that i am in support of GEJ or any other candidate, but talking like you know what the next president is capable of doing is what beats my imagination.

Why must he continue in office if he's truly as corrupt as these scandals suggest? He should be taught a lesson that serves as deterrence to others. Nigeria should not continue like this. Something has to be done to stop this rot.

What is really going on in this country

i fit not shouted!
but make una wait o...!
sincere9ja and him gang go soon show... den una go tell dem weda nobi Tinubu,Buhari and APC handiwork bi dis.
#peepingmodeactivated#

Can anyone tell us how GEJ and Allison aren't involved in all these scams that are being revealed almost on a daily basis? I believe these are just the few we know. These guys are on a mission to bankrupt Nigeria.

GEJ's corruption knows no bound and I think Nigerians should declare a state of emergency in kicking out the traitor from government and making him to account for all the missing fund.

reading

The Minister for petroleum and Mr president, just wrote "Approved. Do the Needful" to NNPC and needful probably includes let 49bn dollars develop wings.

payless:

Wow! This fraud has been going on for ages. Imagine government officials forging vital documents in this world we live in? Sanusi Lamido has been on their trails for a while I believe. He now has them by their balls. I can see why they are running from pillar to post while grasping for air. ;

Naija I hail thee.......

Thank God for using Jonathan's administration to expose these age old practices. One can only imagine what went on in the petroleum ministry when OBJ doubled as minister of petroleum for 8 years.

Sunny_bobo:

Thank God for using Jonathan's administration to expose these age old practices. One can only imagine what went on in the petroleum ministry when OBJ doubled as minister of petroleum for 8 years.

Fact is there is corruption everywhere in the world.
THESE GOVERNMENT PROPAGANDIST ARE DOWNPLAYING THE REPERCUSSION OF THE MISMANAGEMENT CURRENTLY GOING ON.
At least,OBJ was not going around the world to borrow money to steal.that is a fact .

Shagari/ekweme government borrow and steal policies sent Nigeria from being a branded country to a Tokunbo country.
They were borrowing money to buy geisha and sardines.
Imagine borrowing money to repair roads .
What about cutting the cost of government ?
One of the criminals of the era , umaru Dikko ,who made away with £4 billion has just been rehabilitated with an appointment , by this corrupt government.

Jonathan and his cronies are sucking this nation dry with their corrupt antics

.

With this 'free for all looting' we gradually going back to Abacha era!

The first step was the crippling of our anti graft agencies,
The second step was getting close associates to do the job while watching them turning to untouchable elements,
The third step was tribalising and politicizing any objective criticism.

The fearless lawyers are asleep,
The ever active pressure groups are at ease,
The talking elders are labeled 'torn coat'.

I wish Uncle Joe will regain his bearing regarding issues of corruption in our nation (That is if they were not actually directed to his accounts in the first place).

Apart from the Presidency, which other department is responsible for this missing money? & is President Jonathan is silent about the whole thing? To be candid, we needs some answers.

omowolewa: With this 'free for all looting' e gradually going back to Abacha era!

Did Nigeria loose $49billion during Abacha's reign? This is the worst government ever in the history of Nigeria.

Gamji007:

Did Nigeria loose $49billion during Abacha's reign? This is the worst government ever in the history of Nigeria.

It would be difficult for him to win another election.

juman:

It would be difficult for him to win another election.

For the good of Nigeria, GEJ must not win the next election. He should infact, be impeached and barred from contesting any election.

corruption unlimited

*sighs*...another day,another cry of missing oil money from those who do not produce oil per say...
...the nation is tilting dangerously close to the cliff because of the greedy,selfish,narrow-minded and wicked politicians we have in ALL the political parties.Therefore regions which do not produce much oil or non at all should better get cracking on alternative sources of income instead of bleating from dusk to dawn about oil revenues.

greatgod2012:

Jonathan must go
your last sentence is what got my attention, do you know what the next president is capable of doing
Note: not that i am in support of GEJ or any other candidate, but talking like you know what the next president is capable of doing is what beats my imagination.

bros, Jonathan s ball-less!!!
And i undstnd he is not just ball-less, its because he himself is so corrupt that fighting against the corrupt ones makes it sensless!

He doesn't even see anything bad in it!
How many reported corrupt offcials had been indicted and flushed out?
What was his reaction to all these allegations against his ministers?

Instead, he wld rather fly around the world in the middle of crises and doesn't give a damn abt the yernngs of the citizens!!

That guy is the worst president av ever heard of!

He cld at least be pretending to care by indicting and punishing the required!

This is frustrating, even to everyone!


The only people who doesn't see his foolishness in courting corruption are his people who we all knw were moulded from the same corrupt sand....

Ngokafor: *sighs*...another day,another cry of missing oil money from those who do not produce oil per say...
...the nation is tilting dangerously close to the cliff because of the greedy,selfish,narrow-minded and wicked politicians we have in ALL the political parties.Therefore regions which do not produce much oil or non at all should better get cracking on alternative sources of income instead of bleating from dusk to dawn about oil revenues.

That may be true.

But as long as there's a country called Nigeria it follows that every region has a stake in the Federal revenue.

This is not negated on a whim or by way of sarcasm.

No wonder these folks keep struggling for NNPC jobs.

All Posters above are silly, this post is over 1yr old, the date is Oct 23, 2012