House of Representatives on Wednesday launched fresh investigation into over $2.749 billion paid by a deposit bank into the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on behalf of some oil marketers involved in the lifting of crude oil and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
Some of the representatives of the International Oil Companies (OICs) and deposit banks who appeared before the ad-hoc committee investigating the $17 billion undeclared crude exported to global destinations, chaired by Abdulrazak Namdas, had declined the purposes of the payments as contained in the bank statements presented to them.
Unsatisfied by the responses of various stakeholders who appeared before the Committee, Namdas directed managing directors of Addax Petroleum, Sahara Energy, Total Nigeria plc, Eterna Energy, Chevron and Standard Chattered Bank to appear before the committee on Thursday, April 13.
According to one of the documents obtained by BusinessDay, total sum of $748,759,496.69 was paid through various domestic banks into the CBN’s PPT FIRS accounts between January 4, 2012 and February 28, 2012.
According to the statement of account, the sums of $77,059,941.96 was paid on the 4th January, 2012; $7,616,232.05 paid on January 5, 2012; $110,380,116.22 was paid on January 17, 2012; $68,818,622.90 was paid on January 27, 2012 while $70,139,825.84 was paid on January 27, 2012.
Like, the sums of $7,948,682.78 was paid on the 3rd February, 2012; $106,412,739.84 was paid on the 13th February, 2012; $75,093,967.85 was paid on the 15th February, 2012; $105,548,414.46 was paid on the 22nd February 2012; $7,727,418.42 was paid on the 27th February, 2012 while $112,013,534.37 was paid on the 28th February, 2012 respectively into the CBN Petroleum Profit Tax FIRS account through various domestic banks.
The lawmakers specifically demanded for details of the $2 billion paid through Standard Chattered Bank into CBN on behalf of some major oil marketers.
Recall that representatives of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had on Tuesday, April 11, 2012 denied knowledge of the CBN Petroleum Profit Tax FIRS account.
While briefing on the outcome of the investigative public hearing, Namdas who was flanked by members of the Ad hoc Committee, explained that the Committee may be compelled to invoke relevant sections of the Constitution against erring heads of various agencies and parastatals who failed to honour the invitation of the Ad-hoc Committee.
The Committee further alleged that some of the oil marketers only paid Education Tax but failed to pay other requisite taxes including NIMASA levy, NDDC levy, among others.
Namdas who described the exercise as “good but a tough one,” disclosed that over 80 companies were invited to testify before the Adhoc Committee.
“In the course of our investigation s, we realised that most of the companies that amde these payments into the CBN account even when you confront them with the payments, they made themselves and we showed them the payments, they are not in the position to telly out yes.
“But that they are not sure but will get back to you. So we expect that if you are in the oil and gas for several years and you have made some payments within a period of time and you are shown a document, you should be in a position to say at least, confirm.
“Though some confirmed that yes, this is from them but they don’t know what these payments stand for what and that is why we are investigating that there were some payments made.
“For example, they will tell you, they paid for Petroleum Profit Tax and Federal Inland Revenue Service will tell you that, look from their own records you have not paid,” he noted with nostalgia.
To this end, he emphasised that need for all the Ministers and heads of various agencies as well as Corporate Organizations involved in the crude oil lifting and Liquified Natural Gas to appear in person as from Thursday, 13th April, 2017.
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