EFCC quizzes GEJ’s ally over alleged multibillion dollar deals

Jide Omokore, the Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Ltd, was on Tuesday arrested and questioned by the EFCC, in connection with a series of multi-billion dollar petrol import and
crude export deals.

Omokore, who was later released on Wednesday evening, was said to have made revealing statements. He’s expected to return with some required documents. Atlantic Energy Ltd was one of the companies that allegedly received multibillion dollar worth of public assets without due process by the GEJ administration in 2011.

The company, which was created less than a year earlier and had not produced a droplet of oil, was awarded controlling stakes in two lucrative oil blocks – OML 30 and 34 – for just over $50m each.

The deal, which was signed by Diezani Alison- Madueke, the company a controlling 55% stake in the oil block. Curiously, Shell, which owned the remaining 45%, fetched $1.3bn for a single field after an open and competitive bidding process.

The company was also accused of lifting crude oil, but only remitting a fraction of its worth to the government. In 2012, Atlantic Energy paid $168m into the government’s account, but lifted about 3m barrels – valued at over $350m. In 2013, it also lifted about 2m barrels of crude valued at about $240m, but paid only $68m.

In 2014, it paid zero cash-call, but lifted about 500,000 barrels, valued at $54m. SPOG, another of Omokore’s companies, is also being investigated for an alleged N400m petrol import fraud. SPOG allegedly imported 3,000 metric tonnes of PMS but filed claims for subsidy payment of 13,000 metric tonnes, therefore allegedly pocketing N400m more than it should have been paid.

A source said Omokore has been instructed by the presidency to reconcile his accounts with NPDC, and immediately pay up the several billions he is owing the Nigerian government for allegedly lifting crude without remitting the proceeds…. or make e go join boys for Kuje…. Cc: Premiumtimes