Senate postpones investigation into alleged sabotage in oil sector

The Senate has postponed its investigation into alleged acts of sabotage in the petroleum industry, citing the need for broader consultations with stakeholders whose input and participation would be valuable in completing the investigation.

The House of Lords also cited legal requirements that require the investigative hearing to be conducted more thoroughly as a further reason for postponing the hearing.

A statement from the Directorate for Media and Public Affairs on Sunday evening said:
The Office of the Senate President, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Chairman of the Senate and Senate Ad Hoc Committee to Investigate Alleged Economic Sabotage in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry, announced the development.

LEADERSHIP reports that the Senate has set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the billions of dollars spent on maintaining the country’s refineries, scrutinize regulators over payments to transport companies, and uncover the alleged importation of dangerous petroleum products and the smuggling of substandard diesel into the country.

The Ad Hoc Committee had completed its preliminary investigations and held an interactive meeting with the heads of ministries, departments and agencies as well as some private stakeholders of the downstream and midstream petroleum sector.

After extensive discussions with selected MDAs and private oil companies, the Ad Hoc Committee subsequently scheduled its investigative hearing for Tuesday to Thursday, September 10-12, 2024.

However, in his statement on Sunday, Senator Bamidele explained the decision of the ad hoc committee to postpone the inquiry hearing after due consultation with all its members and key stakeholders in the country’s petroleum industry.

He also noted that the Ad Hoc Committee would communicate to all interested parties a new date for the holding of the inquiry hearing in due course.

Bamidele explained the compelling reasons for the postponement, pointing out that the decision to postpone was taken in the best interests of the country and its numerous people.

He further explained that the postponement had become essential because “wider consultation with other stakeholders inside and outside the oil industry, as well as legal requirements, require an even more careful conduct of the investigative hearing.”

He added that the prevailing realities in the country, which required urgent intervention by almost all stakeholders in the public and private sectors in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), influenced the decision to postpone.

Bamidele said: “We deeply regret any inconvenience that may have been caused to all concerned, collectively or individually. However, this decision has been taken solely in the national interest.”

He explained that each of these decisions was taken to enable the Ad Hoc Committee to take a holistic approach to public consultation and to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing the oil sector of the economy.

The Senate President therefore assured all parties involved that a new date for the public hearing would be communicated to them in due course.