Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami has finally agreed to appear before the House of Representatives Committee investigating the stealing of about 48 million barrels of crude oil.
Mark Gbillah who is the Chairman of the Committee, announced on Thursday that Malami wrote a letter that he will be appearing before the committee and cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
Africa Today News, New York recalls that the committee had summoned Malami and the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, over the missing crude oil.
However, the two officials ignored the summons.
On Wednesday, another summon was issued by the committee issued noting that it may be forced to take action.
Gbillah said the AGF should appear before the committee on Thursday, with all needed documents to make clarification.
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‘While we appreciate the Attorney General’s response, we would like to indicate that it came a lot later than we expected and it came without the response that we referred to.
‘So, we will appreciate; if the Attorney General and honourable Minister provides these responses and to also appear before the Committee next Thursday,’ he said.
He added that the Minister of Finance continues to ignore the summons by the committee, noting that the committee will take appropriate steps.
‘Like I already said, we are giving her the benefits of the doubt, we are not unmindful of the other powers we have and we are not afraid to exert them and we will do so if the leeway we have provided is still neglected and not recognized by the honourable Minister of Finance,’ he said.
The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil, amounting to over $2.4 billion, and crude oil export to China from 2014 to date had revealed that it has uncovered payment of $200 million allegedly made as consultancy fees in whistleblower recoveries by the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami within statutory approvals.