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NLNG refutes false media report on oil theft

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UGO AMADI

 

Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has one again refuted a  false report published by Vanguard Online Titled “How Govt Officials Facilitated $1.2bn Crude Oil, Gas Theft – Source”

In a statement signed by Andy Odeh, General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, NLNG stated that .” The report is false, malicious and deliberate as it is a rehash of fallacious claims reported in an online media channel in January 2022

The statement read thus: The attention of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has been drawn to a publication in the Vanguard Online of 10th August 2022 under the caption: “How govt officials facilitated

$1.2bn crude oil, gas theft – Source.” The report is false, malicious and deliberate as it

is a rehash of fallacious claims reported in an online media channel in January 2022.

NLNG had responded to the allegations, clearly stating the facts, yet Vanguard Online

published the same allegations with no prior opportunity offered to the Company to

react or respond to the assertions. The rehash in Vanguard Online is obviously

calculated to cast the Company and its leadership in bad light.

To again set the records straight, NLNG wishes to clearly state that:

  • Deliveries of LNG from its Bonny Terminal complies with all regulatory

requirements for the export of its products and are made under various LNG

sales contracts s to destinations not limited to Europe, but also to the Far East,

Greater Middle East, North America and South America, thus ensuring NLNG’s

position as a significant competitive global LNG supplier, promoting the

Nigerian Brand.

  • NLNG is a responsible corporate citizen operating its business according to

strong business principles and ethics in accordance with requirements of relevant

Nigerian and global laws and regulations.

  • From the commencement of its operations in October 1999, NLNG has never,

and does not, engage in “illegal” exportation of LNG or any of its products, nor

is NLNG involved in any international cartel, as alleged. It is simply not true

that “… the illegal exportation is still ongoing with the backing of some top

officials of government”. The LNG trade undertaken by the Company is bound

by strict protocols and controls, hence not amenable to the kind of illegitimate

schemes alleged in the report.

  • Contrary to the allegation of export of LNG without paperwork, records exist for

every single cargo of product loaded by the Company since it commenced

operations, together with fully accurate accounts of destinations, quantities

loaded and unloaded and related earnings on each cargo, and these are

demonstrable. For each of the past financial years which are periodically

audited, including the periods alluded to in the report, the Shareholders of

NLNG, which includes NNPC and three IOCs, never reported that any cargo or

product of the Company was lost or unaccounted for. Indeed, the possibility of

such happening is beyond comprehension.

  • For the avoidance of doubt, NLNG restates that the report paints a very incorrect

picture of the Company’s business and its LNG trade and is at complete variance

with the Company’s Vision as a globally competitive LNG Company helping to

build a better Nigeria.

NLNG demands an immediate retraction of the false and malicious report in its entirety,

in addition to an apology, which must be given as much prominence as the original

report. The legal rights of NLNG and its impacted personnel are fully reserved.

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