I’ve No Personal Gain In $62.1bn Debt Recovery – AGF, Malami – TheNigerialawyer

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,
Abubakar Malami (SAN), has explained that the struggle to recover
the sum of $62.1bn debt from International Oil Companies for the
Federal government was not for a pecuniary interest as he will not
get any percentage from the money.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Public
Relations, Dr. Umar Gwandu, on Thursday, Malami said the move was
propelled by his patriotic committed to get the money back for the
country.

The AGF had in a statement on Tuesday, November, 26, asked the
International Oil Companies to settle with the Federal Government
of Nigeria.

The Minister noted that since the signing of Deep Offshore and
Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act CAP D3 Law of the
Federation of Nigeria 2004 (as amended) 2019 for oil exploration in
deep offshore and inland basis, the Federal Government was to get
more shares of the oil revenue which the international companies
did not pay, the arrears of which was estimated as at 2018 at
sixty- two billion one hundred ninety million, six hundred and
seventy-nine thousand seven hundred and nine three dollars.

Meantime, the Minister who has vowed to protect his hard-earned
integrity has threatened legal actions against the Cable Network
for insinuating, without proof, that he is involved in underhand
deals in the Abacha loot.

The Minister reiterated his stance that the matter was neither
propelled by any ulterior motive nor about gratification of any
personal desire through any percentage to be given to the recovery
agent, but of an unflinching patriotic commitment to get back to
the country the revenue it deserves.

“It has never been the tradition of the Attorney-General of the
Federation to demand much-less of accepting a Kobo on matters
relating to such engagements and conduct of his official duties.
Multiple
agents were overtime engaged in that respect without pecuniary
consideration”, the Minister reaffirmed.

The Process of payment of professional fee is the exclusive
function of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National
Planning.

Malami said it has never been the tradition of the office of the
Attorney-General of the Federation to effect payment of the
professional fees.

“It is a “function exclusively vested in Federal Ministry of
Finance which has the right to vet, confirm and interrogate issues
before any payment is made. And payments are made upon recovery
directly to the recovery agent and not to the Office of
Attorney-General”, he said.

Malami said that rather than adopting campaign of calumny,
evasive and dilly-dally techniques and tactics, the oil companies
and their allies should channel such efforts toward paying the
Federal Government its
due, so as to execute more developmental projects in the
country.

Against the insinuations that he hired the recovery agent to
carry-out the task, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice said
Trobell International Ltd was the agency that originally came up
with the idea of the liabilities of the oil companies for the
consideration of the government, adding that, the Supreme Court
case to that effect was a product of joint efforts and
understanding established by the parties at the instance of the
company.

“Subsequent action thereof; inclusive of the court case and
engagement of professionals for forensic analysis that established
the case and the liability in quantum were all the products of
Trobell’s initiatives”, he said.

For the avoidance of any allusions of securing any personal
gains, the Attorney-General of the Federation has established a
tradition of presenting for the consideration of the Federal
Executive Council contentious issues that borders on payment of
professional fees for Council’s approval.

The Minister said he has established a tradition of being open
and transparent through subjecting contentious payment of
professional fees for Federal executive Council’s approval. He
noted that when his
integrity is at stake he has also established the tradition of
submitting himself for judicial scrutiny and legal
determination.

Malami recalled that in order to set the record straight and to
clear his name against agents of blackmail he had in similar
circumstances, before now, initiated legal action against a media
outfit which is pending in a court of law where his integrity is
impugned. The Attorney-General of the Federation is determined to
protect his integrity against individuals and corporate
personalities bent on tarnishing his reputation in the conduct of
government affairs.

In this vein, the Minister, had submitted for judicial
determination against The Cable Network for insinuating of corrupt
practices in handling of the Abacha loot, by alleging without proof
that the Minister was engaged in sent underhand dealings in
relation to the professional fees of the lawyers.

Malami recalled that when the present administration assumed
office, the country was at the threshold of financial crisis and
effort were made to intensify anti-corruption fight including
recovery of all looted Nigerian Assets.

Malami noted that despite the signing of Deep Offshore and
Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act CAP D3 Law of the
Federation of Nigeria 2004, government in the past did not make
concerted efforts to get the oil companies pay the revenue they
deserve to pay.

“Nigeria was to get more shares of the oil revenue which the
international companies did not pay the arrears of which was
estimated as at 2018 at sixty- two billion one hundred ninety
million, six hundred and seventy-nine thousand seven hundred and
nine three dollars”