By Jonathan Nda- Isaiah,
The African Centre for Justice and Human Right ACJHR led by Barrister Nduka Edede Chinwendu has petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), accusing Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited and their other allied companies like Shell Western Supply and Trading Limited of alleged crude oil theft.
In the petition dated March 3, 2021, ACJHR is asking Malami to use his office to ensure the prosecution of Shell over crude oil theft which it said ran into 16 million barrels.
The organisation also wants the minister to ensure that Shell’s assets are confiscated over the theft which it claimed was confirmed by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
Among other things, the group asked Malami to institute an investigation that will ascertain the real volume of crude stolen by Shell.
ACJHR also asked the minister to ascertain the real monetary value of the crude stolen by Shell based on the price at the international market as of the time they were stolen; to recover all the value of the crude oil stolen by Shell; and arrest and prosecute all Directors of Shell and the Company itself.
The organisation also called for the seizure of Shell’s assets for economic crimes, nationalization of their assets, sanction and compensation etc.
It also wants Malami to ensure that the Indigenous Oil Companies are paid the prevailing market value of the over 16m stolen barrels of oil and that Federal Government receives it due revenue into the Federation Account which has been denied it by the criminal acts of Shell.
It concluded by asking the minister to ensure better liaison with other government agencies in the oil and gas sector so that any future attempt by any International Oil Company to short change Nigeria will be nipped in the bud.
