Sinking of Petroleum Vessels: We Were Transparent, Says EFCC

Says auctioneer didn’t follow procurement, due diligence rules Navy keeps mum
Paul Obi in Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday debunked claims that inaction by the commission led to the sinking of two petroleum vessels and their contents along the Nigerian coastal waters.

The vessels, MT Good Success, sank at the NNS Beecroft Naval Base, Lagos, while MV Thames sank on February 27, 2017 at NNS Pathfinder Naval Base, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
THISDAY had earlier in an investigation reported that the sinking of the two vessels was prompted by the delay caused by the EFCC.

But reacting to the investigation, EFCC Head of Media and Information, Wilson Uwujaren, denied that the commission’s poor handling of the matter led to the sinking of the vessels.
He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the commission wishes to state that, the engagement of Pinnacle Trading and Investment Nigeria Limited, as auctioneer for the disposal of the product, which was conveyed vide a letter dated January 16, 2017 was irregular as the process leading to the company’s emergence didn’t satisfy the required due diligence and strict procurement process.

“The engagement of a consultant like in the case of Pinnacle, was not solicited for, as it did not have the approval of the Acting Chairman of the commission.
“It was also not advertised in any newspaper or the federal tenders journal. This is a clear violation of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.”
Uwujaren added that “the review of the process led to a startling revelation that Pinnacle Trading and Investment Nigeria Limited was not registered with the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, a key requirement for the selection of such auctioneer, and consequently lacked the experience and capacity to handle the job.

“Fully conscious of the negative effect of a flawed selection to the outcome of the process, the Commission called for a review of the selection process, a measure that consequently led to the termination of the contract,” Uwujaren stated.
According to him, “following the termination, Pinnacle and their supposed backers have been doing the media tour in the mistaken belief that the commission would be forced to re-engage an already flawed process. “The commission wishes to re-emphasis that its actions are transparent and always anchored on the Nigerian national interest as opposed to selfish interests.

“In regard to the matter of ‘MT GOOD SUCCESS’ and ‘MV THAMES’, the commission will, as in all instances, be guided by the need to be transparent and accountable to all Nigerians and will not succumb to cheap blackmail in any guise whatsoever,” Uwujaren maintained.

Conversely, THISDAY checks revealed that disagreement between the EFCC acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, and a top board member of the commission might have led to the delay in clearing the vessels.
It also remained uncertain whether the EFCC responded adequately to the official letter from the Nigerian Navy requesting that the commission clears the two vessels.
Attempt to speak to the Nigerian Navy Director of Information, Captain Sulieman Dahun, was not fruitful, as he was not available for comments.
He also did not respond to a message by THISDAY requesting for an update on the two vessels and the said letter to the EFCC.