Federal Government has been urged to commence criminal investigation and prosecution of public officials and their cronies involved in the fraudulent allocation of Marginal Oil Field belonging to Bayelsa.
The leader of the Bayelsa Caucus in the House of Representatives, Hon. Frederick Agbedi who gave the charge during a press briefing held in Abuja frowned at the level of impunity being perpetuated by the regulatory agencies involved in the allocation of the Marginal Oil Fields despite directives issued by the Presidency to return the Marginal Oil Field to Bayelsa.
While stressing the need to ensure justice, Hon. Agbedi who applauded the resolution of the Senate through the Senate Committee on Ethics and Petitions called for the implementation of the resolution without further delay.
“Of course, if the Senate in their findings found out that the narrative for which Akins or other partners claim that the oil bloc belongs to them was fraudulent, then for us to strengthen our Institutions, we need to handover such individuals or organisations to the anti-corruption agencies and law enforcement agencies so that criminal investigations will be caused and then where culprits are identified they should be prosecuted.
“It is only by so doing that our institutions will be so strengthened and that is why I am here to speak to the press,” Agbedi stated.
According to him, the Atala Marginal Field was allocated to Bayelsa and managed by the Bayelsa oil company.
“Sometime in 2021, we got to know that the Atala Farms that was allocated to Bayelsa has been reallocated to another company. Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation and the Sagbama/Ekeremo federal constituency rose in protest of those things.
“Mr President some time ago also ordered that two of such Marginal Fields that were allocated to the States should be returned back to the States, nine were returned only Bayelsa Atala farms was not returned and this was what caused the Bayelsa government, the Bayelsa oil company and our investors to petition to the Senate Committee on Ethics.
“Even within the very period Mr President further ordered that this block be returned to Bayelsa State Government, the owners of the oil bloc.
“This had not happened until the Senate finally last week had resolved through proper investigations and hearing find out that all the issues canvassed as to purchase, sales and ownership by the new companies Akins Air were fraudulent, were not true and so the Senate resolved that the oil block should be reverted, restored back to Bayelsa State Government which is almost a last bus-stop because from the Executive arm of Government it has gone tot he legislature, the legislature has also affirmed that this oil block should to Bayelsa.
“And of course as a representative of where the oil block is found, where the oil block is located, it is important that I stand on behalf of the people to appreciate what the legislature has done as well as what the executive has done and to further urge that this process should be completed, no stumbling block should be seen again in the course of enjoying this oil bloc.
“And of course, if the Senate in their findings found out that the narrative for which Akins or other partners claim that the oil block belongs to them was fraudulent then for us to strengthen our institutions we need to handover such individuals or organisations to the anti-corruption agencies and law enforcement agencies so that criminal investigations will be caused and then where culprits are identified they should be prosecuted,” he said.
