A coalition of civil society groups and non-governmental organizations has called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and other
A coalition of civil society groups and non-governmental organizations has called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and other security agencies to immediately commence the investigation of alleged corruption, criminal breach of trust among others, pressed against one Onajite Okoloko.
Okoloko was the CEO/Managing Director of Notore Chemicals. He stepped down from that position in 2001.
Last year, The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL took over his Eroton Exploration & Production Company Limited, following months of inactivity caused by a multitude of issues thought to include the diversion of funds, governance infractions, and indebtedness to JV partners.Other reasons given for the takeover were Eroton’s inability to meet contractual obligations, inability to meet work programmes, inability to deliver on its committed Field Development plan, prolonged debt to the Federal Government, and closure of office premises by the Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS, for over a year, among others.
The group in a world press conference under the auspices of the Civil Society Coalition for Justice (CSCJ) called for urgent investigation to unravel the truism or otherwise of the allegations.
Made up of 17 CSOs and NGOs, the coalition said they came together to jointly expose Onajite Okoloko and his Eroton Exploration and Production Company Limited for allegedly committing Criminal Breach of Trust, Conspiracy, Fraud, Cheating and Criminal Misappropriation of N2,96bn and $14.30m.
They added that, “The said sums are due and owed to Tectonic Oil Tools Limited from Onajite’s Eroton company for contracts executed in respect of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18.”
The Chief Convener of the coalition, Adedayo Lion Ogorry noted that Tectonic Oil entered into an agreement on 1st May 2016 with Eroton for the provision of Coiled Tubing, Piping and Nitrogen Lift Services with Contract No: EEP16-0125 in respect of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18. Pursuant to the agreement, Tectonic engaged other alliance companies to provide different segments of the field services to Eroton.
He said, “It happened that Tectonic executed the contract according to specifications and sent Eroton Invoices and Delivery Notes. Following the exchange of various correspondences, the outstanding sums of N2,96bn and $14.30m were agreed upon as due to Tectonic.
“In a letter dated 2nd July 2021, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Eroton named Ibironke Olaniyi conspired with Onajite Okoloko and forwarded a payment plan to Tectonic for the reconciled sums which should have become effective from the Third and Fourth Quarters of 2021, respectively. Unknown to Tectonic, Onajite Okoloko who is the owner and alter ego of Eroton had no intention of complying with the payment plan.
“We at CSCJ can authoritatively confirm that Onajite Okoloko collected the contract sums from the NNPCL/Eroton/Sahara Joint Venture Accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria but criminally misappropriated them by diverting same into personal use instead of paying directly to Tectonic.
“This action has negatively affected the business and fortunes of Tectonic, considering that they are equally exposed to numerous vendors who took part in the execution of the contract for Eroton. As a matter of fact, some of the vendors have been harassing Tectonic to the point of threatening the lives of their top management staff and dragging them before different courts across Nigeria.
“It is crystal clear that Onajite Okoloko is not a man of integrity and must not be allowed to benefit from his own illegalities against Tectonic. This is not the first time he has used his fleet of companies to perpetrate fraud and scam people of their hard-earned money all in the name of contracts. To buttress how corrupt and criminally minded Onajite Okoloko is, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has taken over the operation of OML 18 from Eroton due to its involvement in diversion of funds, under reporting of crude oil mined in OML 18 from 30,000 Barrels per day (BPD) to a paltry 1,000 BPD. Also, Onajite Okoloko was alleged by NNPCL to have breached government financial regulations and failed to remit taxes and oil royalties as well as pay Joint Venture Partners.”
He further noted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating Onajite Okoloko “Over his links to former Governor James Onanefe Ibori’s loot and the massive corruption in the oil industry that took place under the former Petroleum Minister Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke. The man called Onajite Okoloko was alleged to have benefited from Crude Oil Swap deals with the former Minister, and we are wondering why he is still walking freely on the streets instead of cooling off in prison.
“If the Federal Government of Nigeria has been searching for ways to recover the Deziani’s loot, then it is time to pause the search and go straight for the head of Onajite Okoloko. Consequent upon the forgoing, CSCJ submits that the many criminal acts of Onajite Okoloko and his Eroton company as chronicled herein are more than enough to warrant his urgent investigation, extradition, arrest and prosecution by the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement agencies.
“It is our prayer that the Nigeria Police Force immediately activates its powers inherent in Section 216 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 4 of the Police Act, 2020 to bring Onajite Okoloko and his Eroton company to book for the grevious offences they have committed against Tectonic in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
“We are aware through our private investigation that Onajite Okoloko is hiding somewhere in Ikoyi, Lagos and continues to issue all manner of threats to Salma Alli being the owner of Tectonic for daring to ask for her money.
“We call on the Inspector-General of Police to declare him wanted as a fugitive running away from justice,” promising to “Lead massive protests to the American Embassy against Onajite Okoloko and demand that he be declared a Persona Non Grata within the shores of America.
“Furthermore, the government of United Kingdom must do everything possible to cancel the citizenship of Onajite Okoloko, which by implication would terminate his entering into the territories of the United Kingdom,”
