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Tag: ICPC

  • ICPC: Hues and cries about stealing and corruption

    Corruption is an issue Nigerians love to discuss with passion because it is believed to be the crux of the country’s under development. It is an issue that many often discuss with sentiment, palpable frustration and anger over the seeming inability of successive governments to eradicate. On such occasions, the political leadership, government functionaries and public institutions charged with the anti-corruption war are always at the receiving end of the public display of disappointment.

    Such was the case recently, when a statement credited to the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Chief Ekpo Nta, that stealing is erroneously reported as corruption drew scathing criticism from some members of the public. He had, during the visit of a delegation of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria to the Commission, observed that Nigerians needed more understanding of the various dimensions of corruption in order for all to be able to tackle it effectively. He explained, for example, that stealing is erroneously reported as corruption.

    His observation apparently hit the wrong chord in the hearts of some people who reacted with severe criticism, suggesting that he was probably not committed to the war against corruption. Some, including a section of the media, went to the extent of calling on him to step down, arguing that his statement portrayed him as a tool in the hands of the political authorities whom they accused of not showing the required seriousness to effectively address the menace of corruption.

    However, there are some who believe that the furious shooting of diatribe by the critics at the chairman over a harmless and sincere observation that merely pointed attention to the obvious but often ignored misrepresentation, was unnecessary, particularly after the clarification issued by the Commission to shed more light on the statement. The Commission had explained that stealing is corruption if it involves a public officer abusing his office for private gains as provided in sections 16 and 19 of the ICPC Act while stealing or theft as defined by criminal code and penal code falls within the police powers to investigate and prosecute.

    This clarification can hardly be faulted. From the legal and constitutional perspective, stealing is recognised in the statute books of every country as a criminal act whether it is committed in or outside the public service. It has prescribed punishment in the relevant criminal and penal codes. Even private business concerns and corporations have rules for dealing with stealing or theft, in their establishments, which may include recovery of the stolen items and dismissal of the culprit with or without prosecution.

    There is no denial, by the critics, that a lot of Nigerians actually report plain stealing as corruption, such as the theft of crude oil or theft of refined petroleum products through pipeline vandalism. Which means that they (the critics) also subscribe to that notion. Why is this so?  Perhaps it is a way of blaming government for everything that goes wrong. Perhaps it is because of the historical antecedent of what is associated with corruption in Nigeria. The face of corruption Nigerians readily point to is the stealing of public funds through embezzlement or the mismanagement or abuse of public heritage.  This is referred to as the ‘chopping’ of government money in local parlance.

     The purge of the public service during the Murtala Muhammed military regime which sanctioned both the military political office holders and civil servants deemed to have corruptly enriched themselves and the arrest and prosecution of political office holders of the second republic by the Buhari/ Idiagbon regime, for misappropriation of funds and corrupt enrichment, were seen by the people as stealing of government money. So is the current effort by the administration of President Jonathan to prosecute public officers indicted in the pension fund scandal and others. To many Nigerians, the offences of corrupt enrichment, misappropriation of funds and cases of fraud involving money all mean stealing.

    Nigerians would readily pardon any form of corruption such as, favouritism, falsification, forgery and acts of official misconduct that do not involve money. They would wave such corrupt practices off with phrases such as “it is not new”, “everybody does it”, “this is their own chance”, “it is their time, wait for your turn” etc. It is against this background that the observation by the ICPC chairman raises a challenge that must be taken seriously.

    Nigerians need to understand what constitutes corruption, its various forms and how to tackle it collectively. It is only then that the people can appreciate the efforts of anti-corruption agencies and offer their own support where it is needed to rid the country of the menace. It should also be understood that Nigeria is not alone in the anti-corruption war. It is a global campaign that also affects the most developed countries of the world. It is a structured war with internationally recognised templates for prosecuting it and assessing its effectiveness in terms of achievable results and targets over a period of time.

    Like all global campaigns in which the United Nations Organisation is involved, the war against corruption is properly structured under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) 2006. Nigeria is a signatory to this convention. Although some countries such as Nigeria had set up their anti-corruption agencies before the convention came into force, it offers a broad framework for countries to design their own campaigns in accordance with their environment and their laws. What constitute corruption is well defined under this convention.

    According to the ICPC Chairman in a recent interview in The Nation newspaper, the anti-corruption war in Nigeria is in tune with the UN Convention and its provisions are captured in the ICPC Act. The ICPC is properly structured to international standard and it is working accordingly. In fact, in a bid to design a robust frame work that takes care of the peculiar needs of Nigeria’s anti-corruption war, the ICPC Act lists some offences which the UNCAC does not envisage. They include false statement, such as false declaration of assets, failure to report bribery, obstruction of justice and making false report or petition.

    What the ICPC chairman said in that statement, which appeared to have been clearly misinterpreted and misunderstood by his critics, is that a lot of Nigerians are yet to understand that corruption comes in various forms and dimensions. It is not about embezzlement of public funds alone and certainly not about general theft in and around the society, which is within the jurisdiction of the police. It is also about those actions we take or witness that compromise the socio-economic well being of the nation, the welfare of our fellow citizens and our own future.

    How many Nigerians, for example, have reported bribery in public and private offices or reported suspicion of a case of illicit enrichment in their neighbourhood? The anti-corruption war is a structured war with a clear mandate and roles for both the anti-corruption agencies and the citizenry. It is important for the citizenry to understand this clearly and not hold the agencies to responsibilities outside their mandate.

    The ICPC chairman has raised a very important point in the anti-corruption war. The people must understand the war and how to support it. The Commission may need to design a public education initiative in this direction in addition to its existing advocacy programmes.

    By Ezekiel Babalola

    Surulere, Lagos

  • Court sentences poly security officer to 33-year jail term

    Court sentences poly security officer to 33-year jail term

    A Delta State High Court sitting in Warri has sentenced the Chief Security Officer of Delta State Polytechnic to 33 years imprisonment over corrupt acts.

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had dragged the convict to court for demanding N150, 000 gratification from a contractor with the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro.

    He was also charged for actually receiving N100, 000 from the contractor.

    His arrest came through a sting operation by ICPC operatives as he was collecting N100, 000 marked money

    Delivering judgement, Justice  Briki-Okolosi,  held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt in counts 1,3,4,6 and 11 of the Charge while he struck  out counts 2 and 5 for duplicity.

    The court further held that counts 8, 9 and 10 were not proven beyond reasonable doubt.

    The court sentenced the convict to 7 years imprisonment on each of counts 1, 3, 4 and 6 with an option of N20, 000 fines on each count.

    It also sentenced the convict to 5 years imprisonment without an option of fine on count 11.

    The 33- year imprisonment would run concurrently, meaning the convict will spend only seven years in prison.

     

  • ICPC inaugurates Anti-Corruption Unit at RIVPOLY

    ICPC inaugurates Anti-Corruption Unit at RIVPOLY

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), has inaugurated a six-member committee to head the Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Transparency Unit (ACTU) at the Rivers State Polytechnic (RIVPOLY), Bori.

    Speaking during the inauguration at RIVPOLY auditorium, the Secretary to the commission Mr. Elvis Oglafa who was represented by the Head of Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Department, Mr. Banabas Gaji, said the committee should use the power vested in ACTU to eradicate the cankerworm called corruption.

    Oglafa maintained that the anti-corruption crusade needs a holistic approach, stressing that ACTU-RIVPOLY has a heavy task which “requires a lot of sincerity, sacrifice and dedication.”

    He noted that ACTU was borne out of the ICPC’S belief that members of an organisation are in a better position to understand or identify the loopholes through which corruption thrives.

    He said: “It is the belief of the ICPC that, those that are directly involved in the operation of each organisation activities, should easily understand their organisation better and be able to identify the cause and fertilising agents.

    “The crippled economy, the incessant price hikes, the ever widening gap between the rich and poor are all products of corruption. To reverse this trend, all hands must be on deck to tackle It.” he asserted.”

    Mr. Gaji who decried the high prevalence of corruption in the country, which has informed abject poverty, hunger, disease and debt, further called on all and sundry to rise up against the miasma of corruption in the country.

    Replying, RIVPOLY Rector, Bori, Mr. Nwolu Elechi thanked the ICPC for the visit, saying it was most timely and a welcomed development.

    Mr. Elechi who regretted the slow pace of development in the institution, attributed it to dearth of funds. “I pledged to maintain a zero tolerance level for corruption in the polytechnic, but we need fund for infrastructural development,” Elechi vowed.

  • How corruption is different from stealing, by ICPC Boss

    How corruption is different from stealing, by ICPC Boss

    The Independent Corrupt Practices Commissions (ICPC) Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta, has reiterated his view that “stealing is not corruption.”

    Speaking to a team of The Nation on Sunday in Lagos at the weekend, Nta explained that his commission would fare better if there was a proper understanding of the word corruption.

    According to him, the controversy emanating from the definition of corruption is as a result of a long entrenched misunderstanding of the vice.

    “If you don’t know what you are fighting then you might be busy fighting other things and thinking you are addressing the problem,” he stated.

    The ICPC chairman, who has been criticised in the media for saying “stealing is not corruption”, stated that from the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (ONCAC) and the ICPC Act, the first item that falls under corrupt practices is bribery in public and private offices.

    He backed up his views with Articles 15 and 16 of UNCAC and sections 8, 9 and 10 of the ICPC Act.

    He listed what is considered as corruption under Article 19 of UNCAC and Section 19 of the ICPC Act as: illicit enrichment, trading in influence etc.

    Explaining what he calls  constitutes corruption, the ICPC chairman said: “If I walk into your office and I say that I have been sent by the president that this contact you are about to award must be awarded to me and now drop his card or the president’s card on the table. This is also an offence under corrupt practice.”

    Nta reiterated that the major function of the ICPC is to check abuse of office by public office holders and government officials.

    Stealing, he said, falls under the criminal code and should be reported to the police.

    He added that Nigeria cannot operate in isolation of the international definition of what constitutes corruption.

    Nta argued that if the Commission spends all its time chasing cases of stealing, it will be will be embarking on a futile operation and failing in its primary duties.

     

    •Read the full text of the interview next Sunday

     

  • Stealing is corruption, please

    Stealing is corruption, please

    The ICPC chairman, who echoed President Jonathan, should be told to face his core duties OR quit

    The contention by Mr. Ekpo Nta, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), that stealing should not be misconstrued for corruption is unfortunate and an attempt to subvert the objectives of the anti-graft agency. Mr. Nta told visiting engineers at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja last week that ordinary Nigerians could be forgiven the mistake, but not educated people. Feigning indignation, the ICPC boss said: “Stealing is erroneously reported as corruption. We must go back to what we were taught at school to show that there are educated people in Nigeria. We must address issues as we were taught in school to do.”

    It is saddening that Mr. Nta, a lawyer who was brought ostensibly to give verve to the anti-graft war, failed to appreciate the pernicious nature and nexus between stealing and corruption in the country. He rather gave the impression that they are two distinct and unrelated categories of offences, that is if he believes that stealing is even an offence at all.

    The terse clarification later by his spokesman that stealing is an offence under the law that could be prosecuted by policemen was not just an after-thought, a reaction to the angst expressed by Nigerians to his statement, but was even more damaging to the battle to rid Nigeria of all forms of corruption. His veiled attempt to designate stealing as a minor offence is an indication that the ICPC boss is unfit for the position.

    A visit to the commission’s website tells the story clearly. “Corruption in Nigeria”, it says, “undermines democratic institutions, retards economic development and contributes to government instability. Corruption attacks the foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law, and creating bureaucratic quagmires whose only reason for existence is the soliciting of bribes.”

    Transparency International describes corruption as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. While it is conceded that corruption is not limited to outright stealing, any attempt to make a clear distinction should be condemned as dubious and self-serving.

    Bribery may not be the only form of corruption, but it is a very important aspect of corrupt practices in Nigeria. The ICPC itself grew out of an appreciation of the incalculable damage done to the development of Nigeria by those who have cornered the common wealth and converted public institutions and their funds to private use.

    Sad enough, the ICPC that was established in 2000 as the first agency solely saddled with the task of halting the trend has failed the nation as corruption continues to fester and the agency is more interested in repeating views expressed by the President than enlisting Nigerians in fighting the scourge.

    The ICPC chairman owes Nigerians an explanation on how it has conducted his duty in the commission. How well has he adhered to the oath he swore to at his inauguration in office in October 2012? How many convictions has the commission secured from the courts in its 14 years of existence and, especially, since Mr. Nta assumed office? What innovations has he brought to ensure that officials caught in the act are made to pay the price?

    It is perhaps more than a mere coincidence that President Goodluck Jonathan had earlier said the same words and noted that neither corruption nor poverty is the bane of Nigeria’s development. Mr. Nta must note that he might have been appointed by President Jonathan, but he should not take his gratitude to the point of undermining the cause of sanitising the Nigerian public space. His role is  clearly defined by the law establishing the commission and it is in no wise similar to the function of the official presidential spokesman.

    The ICPC was conceived as an independent body, thus its funds are charged on the consolidated fund, yet Mr. Nta seems not to appreciate this and would rather leave his core duties to the Nigerian nation and repeat statements made by the President.

    We urge the board of the ICPC to call Mr. Nta to order. Cases pending in various courts for five to eight years have been credited to failure of diligent prosecution, and, in some cases, outright collusion between the prosecution, defence and the Bench. This should stop. Well-heeled public officials found to have dipped their hands in the till must be brought to justice. Sophistry by the ICPC chairman should not stand in the way. All forms of corrupt practices, including stealing, must be fought with vigour. And, if officials saddled with the task are showing signs that they are sympathetic to the ill, they should be asked to step out of the range.

    It does not lie in the mouth of President Jonathan who presides over a terribly corrupt nation, or that of Mr Nta who is supposed to tackle corrupt practices in the same sick country to try to make any distinction between stealing and corruption. It is an unhelpful academic exercise.

  • ICPC Act of 2000 valid, subsisting, says court

    ICPC Act of 2000 valid, subsisting, says court

    The Corrupt Practices and Other  Related Offences (CPC) Act, No.5 of 2000 is still valid and should be included in laws of the federation, Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Peter Umeadi has held.

    He said the CPC Act No. 6 of 2003 (purported to have been amended) is null and void and should be expunged from the laws.

    Justice Umeadi held: “Pursuant to the meaning at Section 318 of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I hereby make a recommendation that the Hon. Attorney-General and Minister of Justice should (i) include the CPC Act No. 5 of 2000 in the compiled Laws of the Federation of Nigeria forthwith and (ii) to expunge the CPC Act No. 6 of 2003 from the compiled Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, forthwith.”

    The judge was ruling on a preliminary objection by three defendants in a criminal charge brought against them by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

    The Federal Republic of Nigeria, through ICPC, filed the corruption charges against Dr Okechukwu Odunze, Asuzu Ogochukwu, Alhaji Y.A. Sule, Dr Ifeanyi Okoye, Benjamin Passa, Hon. Moses Gbende, Chief R.O. Derex-Tanor and A.N Nkwonta at the Anambra State High Court, Awka.

    But Odunze, Sule and Passa filed a notice of preliminary objection praying for an order striking out or quashing the charges contained in charge number A/1c/2013 for being incurably defective.

    Their ground is that the charges are founded on a repealed law; that CPC Act 2000 has been repealed by Section 55 of the CPC Act No. 6 of the 2003; and that the alleged offences were committed after the abrogation of the CPC Act No. 5 of 2000.

    Justice Umeadi had invited two amici curiae (friends of the court) – Dr A.I Layonu (SAN) and ICPC’s Director Legal Mrs C.I Onuogu – to further address the court on the issue.

    Layonu and Onuogu submitted that the Supreme Court had held that the ICPC Act 2000 is still valid.

    He said the defence of the amici curiae “laid much store” on the cases of Attorney-General of the Federation vs Chief Anyim Pius Anyim and three others; Senator Adolphus Wabara and two other vs FRN, and Yahaya vs Federal Republic of Nigeria (2007) (23, WRN, 127 @146).

    The judge said a consideration of the cases and decisions on them shows that CPC Act No. 6 of 2003 “suffered a stillbirth and was never delivered.”

    Justice Umeadi said there is no evidence in writing that the President has given his assent to CPC Act No. 6 of 2003, adding that it should not have been included as part of the country’s laws, having been held to be invalid.

    The Chief Judge held that the mere fact that CPC Act No. 6 of 2003 is contained in the laws of the federation does not stop it from being null and void.

    “The horrifying situation is that the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2010 omitted the CPC Act No. 5 of 2000 which the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the highest court in the land, had adjudged the extant law on the matter.

    “It had been said earlier that the National Assembly had the power to repeal that CPC Act No. 5 of 2000 if she had properly enacted CPC Act No. 6 of 2003 with the presence of Section 55 therein.

    “It has been shown that the National Assembly did not get it right. The decision of Egbo Egbo J (as he then was) on the matter preceded the compilation of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

    “Certainly there is no excuse for the same CPC Act No. 6 of 2003 to be included and the CPC Act No. 5 of 2000 which is valid excluded in the compiled Laws of the Federation by the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation or the Law Revision Commission.

    “I agree with Dr Layonu that the mere fact of such omission does not amount to a repeal of the omitted enactment. It is a cardinal principle of the law that statutes are not repealed by inference or implication but by direct provision of law,” the Chief Judge said.

    Justice Umeadi held the CPC Act 2000 “continues to exist”. “The President of Nigeria wrote to the National Assembly saying why he could not assent nor withhold assent on the bill leading to CPC Act No. 6 of 2003. There should be no talk then that the President later assented to the Bill,” he said.

    He added: “It is an irony, therefore, that CPC Act No. 5 of 2000 is not contained in the Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004 while the CPC No. 6 of 2003 is. That anomaly should be corrected immediately.”

    The judge said the greatest pointer that the validity of the CPC Act No. 5 of 2000 is that the Federal Government continues to deal with the commission’s membership as contained in that Act, which is radically different from what is stipulated in the 2003 Act.

    The 2003 Act, he said, stipulates that the ICPC chairman should be a serving Justice of the Court of Appeal, which the current chairman, functioning under the 2000 Act, is not.

     

     

     

  • ICPC writes NRC over N1 billion pension scam

    ICPC writes NRC over N1 billion pension scam

    The N1 billion pension scam over which two directors and nine others were fired at the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) is threatening to tear the corporation apart.

    One of the fired directors is alleging that he did not act alone, naming a top management staff member as the one who approved the pension funds he audited.

    The director’s protest was said to have stalled the immediate implementation of the report which indicted him and others.

    On April 16, the Bamanga Tukur- led board mandated the management to implement the recommendations of the Fidet Okhiria panel set up to investigate the fraud.

    But the management was said to have taken its time in carrying out the directive.

    “From all indication, it is clear that the management is afraid to wield the big stick to avoid opening a can of worms on scams that have been perpetrated in the pension fund over the years,” a source said.

    It was gathered that three years ago, a director was sacked by the management for alleged fraud.

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has written the NRC management requesting for details of the fraud.

    One of the indicted directors and another official have been arrested by the Nigeria Railway Police Command.

    A Murano Sports Utility Van (SUV) belonging to another top official has been withdrawn and now parked on the premises of the Nigeria Railway Police at Ebute-Meta in Lagos, in connection with the investigation.

    Some offices are still locked at the corporation, pending the outcome of the investigation.

    The 2014 Pension Reform Bill passed by the National Assembly recommends 10-year jail term for pension thieves. It also recommends a three-fold refund of stolen pension cash and the forfeiture of all properties acquired with the stolen money.

    Meanwhile the NRC management has elevated some managers.

    Those promoted are the District Manager Eastern District, Mr Felix Njoku, who becomes the Acting Director of Finance.

    Mrs Adun Oshunmakinde, who becomes the Deputy Director of Finance and Mrs Adetunji has been named Assistant Director of Pensions.

  • About Ekpo Nta’s modesty

    About Ekpo Nta’s modesty

    TO show that he practices what he preaches,the Chairman Of Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) Barrister Ekpo Nta, last weekend gave out his daughter, Idorenyin in marriage in a moderated wedding ceremony which was completely bereft of affluence befitting his status as a government official.

    The event which was held in Cross Rivers according to attendees, served as a standard for disciplined public servants who may be planning such event in the future.

    The holy soleminsation which took place at St Bernard’s Catholic Church Marian Hill, Calabar, had regulated the caliber of guests.

    Nta, it was gathered refrained from inviting officials of Federal Government including Ministers and heads of parastatals, state governors as well as other celebrities to the wedding ceremony for obvious reasons. He was also said to have discouraged many of them, his friends, who earlier indicated interest in attending the ceremony on an excuse that the wedding programme would be low keyed.

    Only his close friends, immediate family members and acquaintances were said to have attended the Church service and reception for the wedding which attendees said had passed for a new standard for any moderate public officer to emulate.

    Ekpo Nta since becoming ICPC Chairman has been advocating a new approach to the fight against corruption with insistence that the fight should no longer be taken to the media arena.

  • Idorenyin hooks Gabriel

    Idorenyin hooks Gabriel

    CHAIRMAN of Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Ekpo Nta, last Saturday gave out his daughter Idorenyin at a holy matrimony at St Bernard’s Catholic Church Marian Hill, Calabar to Elo Gabriel Itoye. Here Barrister Ekpo Nta and his wife Eno flank the couple at the reception.

  • Shell seeks transparent sale of four oil blocks

    Shell seeks transparent sale of four oil blocks

    Adherence to global Corporate Governance Principles is expected to play a key role in the selection of firms bidding for the four oil blocks put up for sale by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

    Besides, global institutions, respected for their thorough approach to unearthing sleaze and hard stance on same , are poised to ensure that only persons with transparent business records with no link whatsoever to individuals and bodies believed to have benefitted from proceeds of corruption, are allotted the blocks.

    The four oil wells in which Shell has a 45 per cent stake are OML-18, OML- 29, OML-25 and OML-24. Successful bidders for the four blocks may pay close to $5 billion for the stakes held by Shell in conjunction with two other international oil companies.

    The Nation gathered that global agencies averse to unscrupulous and sharp business practices are working in league with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and foreign governments to probe into sources of funds of the bidding firms.

    A top official of Shell admitted that the oil giant is under pressure to ensure that “ politically exposed persons or those who have corruptly enriched themselves” are not handed the blocks .

    The bidders for the blocks are: Midwestern/Mart/Notore, Sahara Consortium and Dangote/Dansa for OML-18 ; Vertex/ Seplat/Maurel&Prom/VP Global, Glencore/Neconde, Transcorp, Aiteo/Taleveras for OML-29; Lekoil, Crestar, GreenAcres/CCC/Signet Petroleum, NDPR/SAPETRO, and Essar for ML-25 .

    Others in the race are Sahara consortium, PanOcean/Newcross, Shoreline Aiteo/ Taleveras for OML-24.

    Amongst the bidders is the word’s 23rd richest man, business mogul Aliko Dangote, who is behind Dangote/Dansa.

    Midwestern/Notore has Jide Omokore and Wade Chewenko as backers. Tonye Cole, Tope Shonubi and Ade Odunsi are behind Sahara Consortium.

    Aiteo/Taleveras has Benedict Peters and Igho Sanomi as backers, Transcorp has Tony Elumelu. Greenacres is promoted by Funsho Kupolokun and Basil Omiyi. For SAPETRO is General Theophilus Danjuma. Lekoil has Lekan Akinyanmi and some other Nigerians as promoters.

    Global anti-graft bodies and their Nigerian affiliates, it was learnt, are in agreement that firms linked with individuals with tainted records and who are serving jail terms either in or out of the country, or granted reprieve following their conviction should be denied access to any of the blocks.

    It was equally gathered that many of the bidding firms with hazy status are under serious scrutiny and would have their dossiers sent to Shell Nigeria, its parent company in the Netherlands , as well as the Nigerian and foreign governments.

    A Shell official who spoke in confidence because he is not allowed to talk to the media, said: “One area that cannot be overlooked is the sources of funds of interested bidders and the eventual owners of these assets.” The attention of the global community is on Nigeria, with the rapacious inclination of many of its officials to milk the treasury dry, using willing and conscienceless business men and women as fronts, he said.

    He drew attention to the revelations from the ongoing probe of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC’s) crude oil swap, saying: “You see the extent to which some can go in Nigeria to make illicit gains? As a major player in the global business field, Shell cannot afford to be indifferent to the global war on corruption and the drive to enthrone ethical conduct in public office.”

    He said former and serving public officers should never be allowed to corner the nation’s patrimony after corruptly enriching themselves, using proxies.

    The international agencies, including Shell are also considering the antecedents of the bidding firms. They argue that submission of high bids alone should not be enough to win an oil block, but that their track record in oil exploration and their technical knowhow should be equally evaluated, an NNPC official familiar with the process and the concerns of the international community.

    He cautioned against a repeat of the recently concluded sale of the unbundled firms in the power sector where competence and technical knowhow were sacrificed and the attendant worsening of the power situation in the country. Such, he cautioned, should not be allowed in the current sale of Shell’s stake in the four blocks.

    Already, the sale of the blocks is well behind schedule. Billed to be concluded within eight weeks, the process has entered the 12th week, a development that has heightened tension among the bidding firms and also fuelled suspicion.