The over $2.4 billion unremitted oil revenue ((illegal oil sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil export from 2014 till date) has been a hot issue for a long time. Thus, Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, has shown his intention to stand before the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the matter.
This is contained in Malami’s letter to the ad hoc committee. It was read on Thursday, April 20 by its chairman, Mark Gbillah, during the resumed investigative hearing in Abuja.
According to Gbillah: “Today we are in receipt of a letter from the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice who is indicating his determination to respect the doctrine of separation of powers and to support our extant laws.”
“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 AGF provides these responses and to also appear before the Committee next Thursday. So, let’s give him the window to appear before the committee,” the lawmaker added.
“The Accountant General sent a response and has not responded to our follow-up because we asked further questions to what he provided us information about.
“But we want to call on the Minister of Finance, like the AGF show regard and respect for the separation of powers as enshrined in our Constitution, and respond to the request of the committee,” he said.
This, according to him, will enable the committee to get to the bottom of its investigation.
“Like I already said, we are giving her the benefit of the doubt. We are not unmindful of the other powers we have and we are afraid to exert them.
“We will do so if the leeway we have provided is still neglected and not recognised by the honourable Minister of Finance,” Gbillah stressed.