House of Representatives Issues 24-Hour Ultimatum For Officials To Attend Crude Oil Theft Investigation

The House of Representatives has delivered a 24-hour ultimatum to several government officials and agencies, including the ministers of state for petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri; environment, Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi; finance, Wale Edun; and the CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, demanding their presence at an investigation into crude oil theft and revenue loss.

The ultimatum also applies to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

This ultimatum was issued during the inaugural sitting of the House ad-hoc committee investigating crude oil theft. The decision was prompted by a motion put forth by committee member Philip Agbese (APC, Benue). Agbese expressed his discontent with the officials and agencies who failed to respond to the House’s invitation, emphasizing the severe economic consequences of crude oil theft on the nation.

Consequently, the committee has mandated that the concerned agencies and officials must appear before the committee on Friday at 10 a.m. to provide an account of the losses incurred by the country due to crude oil theft.