The Director General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA Dr Bashir Jamo, says the mandate of the agency doesn’t include selling or transport of crude oil.
Dr Jamo stated this when he appeared before the House of Representatives adhoc committee investigating oil theft at the national assembly.
He however said when the revenue from crude oil continue to dwindle in 2013the attorney general’s office directed NIMASA to ensure that they coordinate a technical team to see how they can source data of the actual lifting of crude oil and the last destination point, to know wether there are discrepancies.
According to him, the agency discovered many discrepancies, where by their legal team identified ten companies liable of under declaration of Nigerian crude oil.
Jamo added that some of the cases instituted are not in Nigeria but but at the destination where such criminal acts occured.
The chairman of the adhoc committee, Mr Mark Gbillah, said the house is investigating an allegation that some companies that were involved in crude oil export and possible theft worth billions of dollars were engaged by NIMASA.
Mr Gbillah ruled that the committee would summon the former attorney general of the federation, the former DG of NIMASA and the legal team of the agency.
COV/IBRAHIM
