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In
what appears like an attempt to cover up
the investigations into the Halliburton
bribery scandal, the Joint senate
committee set up to investigate
the scam has come up with a report which
observers in Abuja see as a sham .The
Joint Committee is set to submit
its report which recommends that the
upper legislative chambers suspends
investigations into the bribery scandal.
The
report claims that the United states of
America has not provided adequate
information on the scam .Therefore,"It
is the conclusion of the Joint Committee
that in view of , this development and
in the absence of an equally credible
source of information, it was advisable
that the Joint Committee should suspend
its investigation until the government
of the United States of America has
concluded its investigation and is able
to oblige our Attorney General with the
requisite information "
It
is important to say the committee may
have bought the stories peddled by
erstwhile Attorney General and Minister
of Justice Michael Aondoakaa who
had been notorious for covering up
for corrupt public officials.
It
is equally on record that Robin Renee
Sanders, the United States Ambassador to
Nigeria recently spoke about her
country's readiness to support Nigeria
on various issues in the anti-corruption
war.
This recommendaation by the joint
committee will certainly raise eyebrows
as it is already seen as an attempt to
kill the probe of top Nigerian who were
reportedly implicated by the US probe
into the Halliburton bribery scam.Will
the senate accept this recommendation?
Nigerians and the international
community will certainly watch this
development with keen interest.
Below is the full text of the Joint
senate Committee's report:
REPORT OF
THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON DRUGS,
NARCOTICS, FINANCIAL CRIMES AND
ANTI-CORRUPTION, COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY,
HUMAN RIGHTS AND LEGAL MATTERS AND
COMMITTEE ON GAS.
INTRODUCTION
The
Senate of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, at its plenary sitting on
Tuesday, 24th March 2009, considered a
motion on the Halliburton Bribery
Scandal allegedly involving some
Nigerians and resolved;
To
direct 3 committees i.e. Committee on
Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal
Matters, Committee on Gas and Committee
on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes
and Anti-Corruption to conduct a
separate and independent investigation
into the issues in accordance with
section 88 of the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and
report to the Senate vide Votes and
Proceedings of Tuesday 24th March, 2009.
MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEES
COMMITTEE ON DRUGS, NARCOTICS, FINANCIAL
CRIMES AND ANTI-CORRUPTION.
Senator Sola Akinyede Senator Dahiru A
waisu Kuta Senator Jubril M. Aminu
Senator Satty D. Gogwim Senator Gyang D.
Dantong Senator Anthony O. Agbo Senator
Simeon O. Oduoye Senator Ahmed Rufa' i
Sani Senator Suleiman M Nazif Senator
Gregory 1. Ngaji
Chairman / Joint Chairman Vice Chairman
Member Member Member Member Member
Member Member Member
COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND
LEGAL MATTERS
Senator Umar Dahiru ,Chairman
Senator Sola Akinyede Senator Tawar
U.Wada Senator Abubakar D Sodangi
Senator Ikechukwu John Obiora Senator
Joseph 1. Akaagerger
Member Member Member Member Member
COMMITTEE ON GAS
1. Senator Osita Izunnaso
2. Senator Partrick E. Osakwe
3.Senator Hosea O. Ehinlanwo
4. Senator Mohammed A. muhammed -
5. Senator Abdulaziz U sman
6. Senator Gyang Dalyop Dantong
7.Senator Goerge Thompson Sekibo
8.Senator Hassan W. Gusau
9. Senator Tawar U. Wada
10.Senator Mohammed Kabir Jilbril
11. Senator Dahiru A. Kuta
METHODOLOGY
In
carrying out this assignment, the Joint
Committee studied the provisions of the
Treaty between the Federal Republic of
Nigeria and The United States of America
on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal
Matters.
Article II (1) of the Treaty provides
that each contracting party (i.e. each
country) shall designate a Central
Authority to make or receive requests
pursuant to the Treaty. Article II (2)
provides that for the United States of
America, the Central Authority shall be
the Attorney-General or a person
designated by him and for the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, the Central
Authority shall be the Attorney-General
of the Federation or a person designated
by him.
In
the light of the above, the Joint
Committee came to the conclusion that
since the information regarding The
Halliburton matter emanated from legal
proceedings initiated by the government
of the United States of America, the
most credible and reliable source of
information is the government of the
United States of America and that
accordingly our Attorney-General should
be asked to make a request for
disclosure of information from the
Attorney-General ofthe United States of
America in accordance with the
provisions of the Treaty.
The
Attorney-General of the Federation was
therefore invited to a meeting with the
Joint Committee on June 18th, 2009 and
following his inability to attend was
invited on Tuesday, June 23, 2009.
The
Attorney-General informed the Joint
Committee that he had made a request in
accordance with the provisions of
Article I (1) of the Treaty but that the
government of the United States of
America had responded invoking Article
III of the Treaty that in view of the
fact that investigation was still
on-going, the United States of America
was unable to oblige Nigeria with the
requested information.
CONCLUSION
It
is the conclusion of the Joint Committee
that in view of , this development and
in the absence of an equally credible
source of information, it was advisable
that the Joint Committee should suspend
its investigation until the government
of the United States of America has
concluded its investigation and is able
to oblige our Attorney General with the
requisite information
COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION
Mr.
President, Distinguished Senators, in
the light of the above, the Joint
Committee recommends that the Senate do
suspend its investigation until
information is made available by the
office of the Attorney-General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice.
We
so recommend.
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