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Civil Societies Demand Revocation of OPL 245 License, Stage Massive Protest In Abuja

The coordinator wondered how the government allowed six notable Nigerians who were indicted by the investigations reports to walk freely in the town.

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A group under the auspices of Civil Society Network Against Corruption on Tuesday staged a protest in Abuja to demand  immediate revocation of OPL 245 license allocation to Malabu and Sale to SHELL-ENI.

The protesters in their number stormed the headquarters of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the office of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu with placards and banners asking him to prosecute those indicted in the deal.

Some of the inscriptions read: "OPL 245 Nigeria Stand To Lose $6 billion", "OPL 245 Etete, Adoke Should Face Justice", "Stop OPL SHELL & ENI To Deprive Nigeria of $6Billion."

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The National Coordinator, National Malabu Awareness Coalition, Shina Odugbemi said that media was awashed six years ago with information on how one of Nigeria's richest oil field , OPL 245 was sold in shady circumstances.

He pointed out that the former Minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete who was convicted for money laundering in France owned Malabu Oil & Gas adding he registered the company with a fictitious name Kweku Amafegha.

He noted that half of $1.1 was paid to Malabu Oil and Gas for the procurement was consumated through bribe to Nigeria politicians and intermediaries who helped to secure the controversial deal.

Odugbemi explained that some officials of federal government acted as conduit for the fund after Shell and Eni raised fears over transferring the money directly to Malabu due to Etete's earlier conviction in France. 

The group demanded for prosecution of persons and companies involved and indicted in the deal adding that Nigeria stand to lose $6 billion if the government fail to terminate the deal.

It is in the light of above development and your body language that we embark on this protest march to your office to demand in the interest of justice, that all the indicted persons and companies involved in this deal, both local and international are allowed to have their days  in courts as reflected in all investigation reports surrounding  this case" Odugbemi stated. 

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The coordinator wondered how  government allowed six notable Nigerians who were indicted by the investigations reports to walk freely in the town.

He said those people includes: former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Attorney General, Mohammed Bello Adoke , former minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison- Madueke, Former National Security Advised, Aliyu Gusau.

Others are, former Attorney General, Bayo Ojo and Senator Ikechukwu Obiorah.

Odugbemi stressed that two middlemen involved in the deal Emeka Obi and Gialucia Di Nardo have been convicted in September in Milan.

He therefore urged the minister to make those who have enriched themselves through the deal to face the law.