Defence minister orders corruption inquiry into naval chief Ogalla’s role in crude oil theft, illicit contract awards

The Federal Government has said it will begin an investigation into a coordinated oil bunkering scheme and multibillion-naira contract-splitting fraud allegedly perpetrated by the Chief of Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ogalla.

Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle in a press statement released Friday said the “allegations levelled against Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla are serious,” adding that the ministry of defence is committed to “upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability within the Nigerian Armed forces.”

Peoples Gazette reported on Friday that Mr Ogalla is facing allegations of impropriety on many fronts since his clandestine dealings came to light, details of which had reached top levels of the chain of command and on the verge of being brought to the notice of President Bola Tinubu. Mr Ogalla was exposed to have repeatedly offered the protection of the Nigerian Navy to oil thieves since he took office.

Additionally, reports reveal a concerted effort to stifle inquiries into vessels suspected of trafficking stolen crude oil, further tarnishing the integrity of his nascent leadership as well as a violation of the Procurement Act 2007 by splitting navy arms procurement into 30 contracts awarded to a single firm in November 2023.

Mr Ogalla also refused to approve transfer of naval officers found culpable of several unprofessional conducts to the dismay of other members of the navy brass and disciplinary unit. Officials attributed Mr Ogalla’s refusal to sanction the erring officers to his plot to continue to use them to carry out his illegal oil operations.

“In the light of the allegations, we assure the public that the ministry of defence will collaborate fully with relevant authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter,” Mr Mattawale said in a statement by his office’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Henshaw Ogubike.

The statement indicated, “It is our collective responsibility to maintain the trust and confidence of the Nigerian people in the institutions that safeguard our nation’s security. We call for patience as the investigative process unfolds and trusts that justice will be served in accordance with the rule of law.’’

(Peoples Gazette)