The EFCC on Tuesday 26, 2016 arrested and questioned Jide Omokore, an ally of EX-president Goodluck Jonathan and Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited. The arrest was in connection with a series of multi-billion dollar petrol import and crude export deals.
The Ex-Presdient’s ally made shocking revelations on Wednesday evening after his release by the EFCC.
Atlantic Energy Limited which was created less than a year ago and has not produced any oil was awarded 55 percent major stakes in two lucrative oil blocks –OML 30 and 34 for a little over $50million each without due process by the Jonathan administration.
The deal was said to have been signed by the immediate past minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is being arraigned in a London Court for money laundering.
Strangely, Shell, which owned the remaining 45 per cent stake, fetched $1.3 billion for a single field after an open and competitive bidding process.
Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts was also accused of lifting crude oil, but only remitting a fraction of its worth to the government.
It was discovered that in 2012, the company paid $168m into the government’s account, but lifted about three million barrels – valued at over $350 million.
In 2013, it also lifted about 2 million barrels of crude valued at about $240million, but paid only $68million to the government.
Similarly, in 2014, Atlantic Energy paid zero cash-call, but lifted about 500,000 barrels of crude oil, valued at $54 million.
Another of Omokore’s company SPOG is also being investigated for an alleged N400 million petrol import fraud.
SPOG allegedly imported 3,000 metric tonnes of PMS but filed claims for subsidy payment of 13,000 metric tonnes with the Petroleum Product Regulatory Agency (PPRA), therefore allegedly keeping for itself N400 million more than it should have been paid.
Mr. Omokore’s business premises’ was recently stormed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and they made away with documents and computers.
A source also said Mr. Omokore has been instructed by the presidency to reconcile his accounts with NPDC, and immediately pay up the several billions he owes the Nigerian government for allegedly lifting crude without remitting the proceeds.
