A Canadian Court of Law has granted Nigeria right to seize a 6000 Bombardier Jet owned by former Petroleum Minister, Dan Etete.
Sponsored Ads
Etete, who is currently in a French prison over money laundering charges, was Petroleum Minister between 1995 and 1998.
LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT
He is being indicted in the OPL 245 oil scandal, known as Malabu Oil Scandal.
LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT
Also indicted in the scandal is Italian energy firm, Eni and Dutch oil company, Shell who are both answering cases in Italian courts.
The Superior Court of Canada, in the Province of Quebec, District of Montreal granted Nigeria the right on May 30.
The case was between the Nigerian government and Tibit Limited, one Guissepina Russa, Aeroports of Montreal, Transport Canada and Nav Canada.
The FG was granted approval and right to keep the jet and name a guardian for it to keep it in good shape after seizure from Etete.
RELATED STORIES
Related Posts
The court further ordered that the jet will remain with the Nigerian government until a further hearing is conducted by the court. It also granted the defendants a right to appeal against the decision of the court after they must have duly informed the lawyers of the Nigerian government.
Etete is a major player in the OPL 245 scandal that Nigeria has been battling for many years now. His company, Malabu reached an allegedly dubious deal with the Nigerian government, then headed by former Head of State, Sani Abacha.
In 2011, the federal government brokered a new deal between Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd, the original allottees of oil rich OPL 245. At the time, Shell/ENI wanted to buy the oil block which has a huge oil deposit from the Nigerian company.
Shell and ENI paid a signature bonus of $210 million to the federal government, an amount considered many years later as dubious. They paid $1.1 billion to buy 100 percent interest in the oil block from Malabu.
The entire $1.3 billion was forwarded to the account of the federal government in London, UK, from where Malabu, owned by Etete was paid its $1.1 billion. Several foreign banks have also been investigated for sanctioning the transfer despite knowing the illegalities that may be involved. The banks however claimed they were ordered by the Nigerian government.
There have been allegations of bribery against officials of the government who were allegedly paid to facilitate the deal.
The value of the OPL 245 is greatly higher than what Shell/Eni paid for it according to the Nigerian government.
