Kachikwu, Baru Face-off Worsens As Senate Sets Up Ad-hoc Committee To Probe Allegations

Emmanuel Onotevure   -Abuja

The controversy trailing the allegations made by the Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu against the Group General Manager of the NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru is gradually snowballing into a storm.



The situation has taken another dimension as the Senate has resolvedly, set up an ad hoc committee to probe the allegations made by the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, against the GMD.

It would be recalled that, in an earlier petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, Ibe Kachikwu had accused the NNPC GMD of taking important decisions without him and the NNPC Board and also of insubordination and awarding contracts without due process.

The Senate, during its sitting on Wednesday, while considering a motion on “allegations of corruption against NNPC trading: time to conduct an investigation” resolved to probe the allegations after Kabir Marafa drew the attention of the lawmakers to them.

Also, Senator Samuel Anyanwu who represents Imo East Senatorial District, while moving the motion, said Baru allocated almost all products to Duke Oil, this is in addition to its automatic inclusion in the lifting of crude oil, gas, e.t.c which made Duke Oil, a money spinning outfit accountable only to NNPC.

"Duke Oil as the sole importer of AGO has slowed down the growth of the country’s indigenous companies", the Senator said.

"The general lack of transparency and level playing field in favour of Duke Oil to lift products without payments as against its competitors in the sector, have combined to make Duke Oil the highest money earner and at the same time, the highest money wasters because of the massive corruption in the way and manner they transact business".


Senator Samuel Anyanwu also said that "Duke Oil lacked the credentials to trade internationally and its relationship with the NNPC has stifled the ‘growth of indigenous companies operating in the sector".

Former Sokoto state governor, Aliyu Wamakko, representing Sokoto North is the Chairman of the Ad hoc committee in charge of investigating these allegations.