Two Nigerian oil companies, Sahara Energy and AA Rano Oil were used by late Chief of Staff to President Mohammadu Buhari, Mallam Abba Kyari, to illegally sell 48 million barrels of stolen cude oil worth $2.5billion,
fresh facts obtained by Pointblanknews.com have revealed.
The oil, which was stolen from Nigeria in 2015 was stored in several tank farms in Qingdao and other cities in China.
Pointblanknews.com had earlier reported that the crude oil was estimated to be worth $800million. However, a source privy to the deal confirmed that the 48 million barrel Bonny light crude sold to the Chinese was worth over $2.5billion.
Buhari’s late Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, Late Group General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Maikanti Baru, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, Saleh Mamman, as well as the current GMD, NNPC, Mele Kayi were reported to have been behind the illegal deal.
Also reported to have participated in the sharing was the now suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, Air Commodore Mohammed Umar Rtd, former Director-General, State Security Services, Mallam Lawal Daura.
Sources knowledgeable about the whole deal that prefers to remain anonymous told Pointblanknews.com that the late Chief of Staff after confirming the existence of the stolen crude in China, directed the current GMD of NNPC, Mele Kyari, who was then Group General Manager, Crude, to take over the crude stored in several tanks in China.
Soon after that, pointblanknews.com investigations revealed that arrangement was then made by late Kyari to have Sahara Energy, a company that he has a special interest in, and AA Rano Oil to move to China and sell off the crude.
According to sources who do not want to be named, Kyari was allegedly granted a blind trust in Sahara Energy as well as some other indigenous oil companies he used his position as Chief of staff to grant favors.
In May 2016, officials of the EFCC raided the Lagos and Abuja offices of Sahara Energy carting away several computers and documentary evidence of the deals. The Late Chief of Staff and Mamman Daura stopped the anti-graft agency’s probe of the oil company.
However, a source in China confirmed to Pointblanknews.com that the Bonny Light crude which was sold to a company linked to the sister of the Chinese President Xi Jinping was worth $2.5billion.
Two vessels, SS Markab Star, and another owned by Keith Rhames have been identified as some of the vessels used in hauling the crude oil to China.
According to the sources, the crude oil secretly shipped to China in 2015 by some people believed to be working with Dieziani Alison Madueke, the former Petroleum Minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan, was over 100 million barrels.
Sources said it was meant to be the “payout” for Dieziani and her crew in the oil industry.
SAMANO AS, a Mexican company traced the 48 million barrels and reported to Buhari’s Government. The cabal was said to have found an additional 52 million barrels stored in other tank farms in China and sold them off.
After promising to compensate the Mexican Company for finding and reporting the stolen crude, late Kyari and others reneged.
SAMANO’s lawyer, Joaquin Esparza Mendez, told Pointblanknews.com that the Mexican Court could not continue with the matter for lack of jurisdiction.
He said the Judge had advised they file the case in Nigeria since the Whistleblowers Act for which they are relying on is domiciled in Nigeria.
Communications between SAMANO AS and officials of the NNPC by texts and emails in Pointblanknews.com possession confirmed the existence of the crude in China and the subsequent secret sale.
A text message from Kyari, the current GMD NNPC, to an official of SAMANO AS had guaranteed the company a 5% fee for the information leading to the crude. Kyari in the text also had assured the company that “That in the event of the disposal of any crude oil recovered based on your information, your company will be considered in an offtake arrangement.
Those assurances, according to findings by Pointblanknews.com were never honored.
Pointblanknews.com is also in possession of pictures of meetings between Kyari, GMD NNPC, and officials of SAMANO AS held at the Hilton Hotels, Abuja. There are also pictures of meetings with Air Commodore Mohammed Umar at his residence in Gado Nasko Close, Asokoro Abuja.