Group wants FG to be part of Malabu oil scandal trial

A human right group, Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA Resource Centre, has petitioned Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, requesting the representation of Nigeria as an aggrieved party in the hearing of the Milan Court’s prosecution of Shell and ENI with respect to the scandalous Malabu deal, National Daily has gathered

In a petition addressed to Mr. Osinbajo, who also doubles as the Chairman Asset Recovery Committee, HEDA in the petition signed by its chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, urged the federal government to request that the Italian court judge should recognize Nigeria as a civil party to the criminal proceeding in order to request adequate compensation for the damages received by the corruption scheme.

“The media was awash about six years ago with information on how one of Nigeria’s richest oil field, OPL 245 was sold in shady circumstances and more than half of the $1.1 Billion paid to Malabu Oil and Gas for the procurement was used to bribe Nigerian politicians and intermediaries who helped to secure the controversial deal for both Shell and ENI.

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“Media reports on the issue indicted former President Goodluck Jonathan, some public officials in his administration, some Italian nationals, including the Nigerian Agip Exploration, Shell and Eni.

Stating further issues, HEDA said the reports of the Public Prosecution Office at the Ordinary Court of Milan, in its notification of completion of preliminary investigations, highlighted the role of Eni’s former Chief Executive Officer, Paola Scaroni and his successor Claudio Descalzi and indicted them for alleged international corruption over the scandal.

The NGO said its petition in respect of the stated prosecution is buoyed by facts at its disposal. “Currently two countries have opened investigations into the deal and there is a strong chance that Shell and ENI would lose the oil block following the trial on international corruption charges.”