Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) has commended the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) of the United Kingdom for the initiation of prosecution of five former Glencore officials who connived to make corrupt payments in order to benefit their operations in West Africa.
The anti-corruption watch dog also called on the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to follow suit with the prosecution of all Staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, retired or serving who collected bribe from Glencore oil company irrespective of the Glencore’s agreement to pay $50 million as a penalty for engaging in illegal activities in Nigeria.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) of the United Kingdom yesterday, 1 August charged Alex Beard, Andrew Gibson, Paul Hopkirk, Ramon Labiaga and Martin Wakefield with conspiring to make corrupt payments in order to benefit commodities giant Glencore’s oil operations in West Africa, including Nigerian NNPCL officials.
The Executive Director of ANEEJ, Rev. David Ugolor while reacting to the ongoing prosecution of Glencore officials in a press statement made available to newsmen in Benin City, called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to expose the officials of the NNPCL, serving or retired that collected the bribe money running into millions of pounds to redeem the image of the Nigerian government in the eyes of the international community.
“We are glad to know that the SFO of the United Kingdom yesterday charged five former staff of Glencore for conspiring to make corrupt payments in order to benefit commodities giant Glencore’s oil operations in West Africa.
“This is a welcome development and we are calling on the federal government of Nigeria to follow suit by pressing charges against those who collected the bribe in line with the UNCAC principles for which Nigeria is a signatory and the anti-corruption stance of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
“Specifically, we want the EFCC to investigate the matter and bring all those who received the bribe money from Glencore officials and press charges against them,” Ugolor said.
While decrying the action of the NNPCL officials who conspired with Glencore officials to sleaze the country dry contributed remotely to Nigeria’s economic downturn that resulted into the present protest, Ugolor urged the Nigerian government to expose the Glencore bribe takers in Nigeria like the UK government has done.
“Since it takes two to tango in corruption, we also want to know and see the faces of Nigerians who collected the bribe money just as the UK government has exposed those who gave.
“It is important to hold high office holders accountable to stop grand corruption that has precipitated massive poverty in Nigeria.
“The action of the yet to be named Nigerian officials contributed to the poverty in Nigeria today for which millions of citizens are out protesting against bad governance.
“The five individuals, all former employees of the company, have been charged in connection with the award of a range of oil contracts variously spanning Cameroon, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast from 2007 to 2014.
“Two individuals have also been charged in relation to the falsification of invoices to Glencore’s London office marked as service fees to a Nigerian oil consultancy from 2007 to 2011.
“The prosecution of the bribe payers have been adjoined to 10 am on Tuesday, 10th September at Westminster Magistrates’ Court for continuation of hearing.
It could be recalled that in May 2022, Glencore pleaded guilty to foreign bribery and price manipulation in a settlement with authorities in the US, the UK, and Brazil.
Glencore admitted to paying over $100 million in bribes to government officials in several countries, including Nigeria, through subsidiaries, middlemen, and intermediary corporations, violating the Foreign Corrupt Practice.