Illegal Oil Block Allocation: Bayelsa Reps Seek Prosecution Of Culprits

Bayelsa State caucus in the House of Representatives has urged the federal government to commence criminal investigation and prosecution of public officials and their cronies involved in the fraudulent allocation of Marginal Oil Field belonging to Bayelsa.

The leader of the caucus, Hon. Frederick Agbedi made the demand during a press briefing in Abuja.

Agbedi, who decried the level of impunity being perpetuated by the regulatory agencies involved in the allocation of the Marginal Oil Fields despite directives issued by the presidency to return the Marginal Oil Field to Bayelsa.

While stressing the need to ensure justice, Agbedi who applauded the resolution of the Senate through the senate committee on ethics and petitions, called for the implementation of the resolution without further delay.

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“Of course, if the Senate in their findings found out that the narrative for which Akins or other partners claim that the oil bloc belongs to them was fraudulent, then for us to strengthen our institutions, we need to handover such individuals or organisations to the anti-corruption agencies and law enforcement agencies so that criminal investigations will be caused and then where culprits are identified they should be prosecuted.

“It is only by doing so that our institutions will be so strengthened and that is why I am here to speak to the press,” Agbedi stated.

According to him, the Atala Marginal feild was allocated to Bayelsa and managed by the Bayelsa oil company.

“Sometime in 2021, we got to know that the Atala feild that was allocated to Bayelsa has been reallocated to another company. Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation and the Sagbama/Ekeremo federal constituency rose in protest of those things.

“Mr president some time ago also ordered that two of such marginal fields that were allocated to the states should be returned back to the states, nine were returned only Bayelsa Atala farms was not returned and this was what caused the Bayelsa government, the Bayelsa oil company and our investors to petition to the senate committee on ethics.

“Even within the very period, Mr president further ordered that this block be returned to Bayelsa State government, the owners of the oil bloc.”