Oil block: Open criminal investigation, pursue fraudulent reallocation of marginal field, Agbedi tells FG

The federal government has been urged to open a criminal investigation and prosecute the public officials and their cronies involved in the fraudulent award of the marginal oilfield owned by Bayelsa.

The leader of the Bayelsa Caucus in the House of Representatives, the Hon. Frederick Agbedi, who gave the accusation during a press briefing held in Abuja, disapproved of the level of impunity perpetuated by regulators involved in the allocation of marginal oil fields despite directives issued by the presidency to make the oil field marginal to Bayelsa.< /p>

While emphasizing the need to ensure justice, Hon. Agbedi who applauded the Senate resolution through the Senate Ethics and Petitions Committee called for the implementation of the resolution without further delay.

"Of course, if the Senate, in its findings, finds that the narrative for which Akins or other partners are claiming the oil bloc belongs to them is fraudulent, then in order for us to strengthen our institutions, we need to turn over those people or organizations to anti-corruption agencies and law enforcement so that criminal investigations can be carried out, and then when the culprits are identified, they must be prosecuted.

“Only in this way will our institutions be so strengthened and that is why I am here to speak to the press,” said Agbedi.

According to him, the marginal Atala field was awarded to Bayelsa and managed by the oil company Bayelsa.

“In 2021, we learned that the Atala Farms that were allocated to Bayelsa had been reallocated to another company. Bayelsa and the Ijaw Nation and the Federal Constituency of Sagbama/Ekeremo rose up to protest these things.

"Mr. President also ordered some time ago that two of these marginal fields that were awarded to the States be returned to the States, nine were returned, only the Bayelsa Atala farms were not returned and this is what caused the government of Bayelsa, the oil company Bayelsa and our investors to present a petition to the Senate Ethics Committee.

"Even during the same period, Mr. President further ordered that this block be returned to the government of Bayelsa State, the owners of the oil block.

"That had not happened until the Senate finally resolved last week through proper investigations and the hearing to discover that all issues raised regarding the purchase, sales and ownership by the new Akins Air companies were fraudulent, were not true and so the Senate decided that the oil block should be reinstated, returned to the government of Bayelsa State, which is almost a last bus stop because du executive arm of government, it went to the legislature, the legislature also claimed that this oil bloc should in Bayelsa.

"And of course, as a representative of where the oil block is, where the oil block is, it's important that I show up on behalf of the people to appreciate what the legislature has done as well than what the executive has done and to further insist on completing this process, no stumbling block should arise again in the enjoyment of this oil block.

"And of course, if the Senate, in its findings, finds that the narrative for which Akins or other partners are claiming the oil bloc belongs to them is fraudulent, then in order for us to strengthen our institutions, we must hand over these individuals or organizations to anti-corruption agencies and law enforcement so that criminal investigations can be carried out, and then when the culprits are identified, they must be prosecuted,” he said.