NNPC officials, oil traders allegedly interrogated and investigated over crude oil swap arrangement..

A major investigation is underway in the oil and gas sector as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and The Department of State Security (DSS) are investigating the crude oil swap programme and the Offshore Processing Agreements (OPAs) involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and some local oil and gas companies.
The probe, which started at EFCC is also being looked at by the DSS in the last two weeks, has led to the interrogation, arrest, watch-listing and seizure of international passports of some NNPC officials and oil trading firms by the DSS. Those affected include Aiteo founded by Mr. Benny Peters, Sahara Energy founded by Tonye Cole, Tope Sonubi and Ade Odunsi; Ontario Oil & Gas founded by Walter Wagbatsoma; Taleveras founded by Mr. Igho Sanomi. NNPC officials being questioned and watch listed include Managing Director of NPDC, Mr. Tony Moneke; Executive Director, Commercial, PPMC Mr. Frank Amego; Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe; and former MD of NPDC and later NNPC Group Executive Director, E&P, Mr. Abiye Membere.
Whereas Sahara Energy and Aiteo handled the OPAs, Taleveras, Ontario, international commodity trader Trafigura, and again Aiteo got crude oil allocations under the swap programme.
In a letter dated May 18, 2015, Alison-Madueke had, with the approval of former President Goodluck Jonathan, written to the EFCC requesting that it looked into the Swaps/OPAs “in order to clarify the status of crude oil allocations to the trading firms and the petroleum products that had imported into the country on behalf of NNPC’s product distribution subsidiary – Pipelines & Products Marketing Company.”