$35m Atlantic Refinery project: Goli lauds Tinubu, EFCC for diligently prosecuting graft cases

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

A Former Member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Israel Sunny Goli, has commended President Bola Tinubu and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for their recent investigations and prosecutions of graft cases and their fight against corruption.

Sunny Goli, who represented the Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, also commended the EFCC for the thorough investigation into the $35 million fraud concerning the 2,000 barrels per day (bpd) Atlantic Refinery project in Okpoama, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

The ex-legislator, in a commendation letter addressed to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, said the arrest of Mr Akintoye Akindele, Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, and Eng. Simbi Wabote, former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and others who are key figures in the alleged fraud have instilled hope amongst the people and bolstered confidence in the EFCC under your leadership.

According to him: “It is heart-warming to observe that public confidence in the agency under your leadership has grown significantly, as you have steered a new course of transparency, focus, and zeal in the operations of the foremost anti-graft agency.

“While the arrest of the aforementioned individuals is a positive development, I respectfully request the investigation of the board chairman of the NCDMB and its members for their potential complicity in approving the award of the contract to an entity with no known track record for the construction of a 2,000 bpd Modular Refinery in Okpoama, Brass Local Government Area.

“The lack of response or support from either the board chairman or its members since I raised the petition on this matter raises significant concerns about their potential complicity in the fraudulent act. To fully understand their involvement, I recommend an immediate arrest and investigation of Timipre Sylva, the board chairman and other members of the board.

“Nothing would be more gratifying to the people of Brass Local Government Area than to see everyone involved in the perpetration of this $35 million fraud brought to justice, with every stolen dime refunded so that the project can be executed for the benefit of all.”

Goli, who is also a traditional ruler from Two Brass with the title Kemmer V; Amadabo of Kemmer-Ama, extended his gratitude to President Tinubu for his unwavering stance against corruption.

“I would like to extend my gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering stance against corruption. This firm position has expedited the investigation and arrest of those involved in grand larceny while holding public trust, particularly in this case.

“Such a resolute approach by the President serves as a deterrent to other public office holders. It is disheartening that, despite the government’s good intentions towards its citizens, those entrusted with implementing policies for the benefit of the people are choosing to corruptly enrich themselves at the expense of the populace.” the letter read in part.

It would be recalled that the EFCC arrested former Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Wabote, in connection with an alleged $35 million fraud involving the Brass Project.

It was gathered that the arrest was related to a failed refinery project for which $35 million was allocated.

Wabote’s arrest followed the detention of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, who is facing allegations of misappropriation, money laundering, and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

Wabote however clarified that he was never arrested by EFCC, insisting that he honoured an invitation by the anti-corruption agency, just like they would invite any other person.

He stated that he honoured EFCC’s routine invitation on Tuesday, arrived at 2 pm and left by 6.30 pm, after writing his statement.

He said: “I was supposed to go there on the 29th of October but I wrote to them to say that I would be travelling out of the country and I will come when I return.

“Yesterday I walked in and they took my statement and I came home and slept.”