The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Alkali, yesterday advised the House of Representatives to direct enquiries on the alleged loss of $2.4 billion from illegal sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil export in 2015 to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Malam Abubakar Malami (SAN). He said the lower chamber should also check relevant courts as the matter is already in court.

The IGP disclosed this in his presentation before the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating alleged loss of over $2.4 billion from illegal sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil export in 2015, including crude oil export from 2014 till date headed by Hon. Mark Gbillah (LP, Benue). Represented by the AIG Garba Baba Umar, the IGP said the Interpol had received a petition about some individuals who blackmail and extort money from government officials and swung into action by inviting them, while others fled the country. He said: “It is my responsibility to act on any information received.

I assure you, we are not investigating, we are only inviting people to come and say their own part of the story.” Explaining why the Interpol wrote to the whistleblowers who informed the House of the development, Alkali noted that part of his responsibility was to assist law enforcement agents with tools to carry out their investigations. According to him, the Interpol is a different arm of the police force and has different responsibilities and duties. “The Interpol has nothing to do with national police,” he stressed, staring that the Interpol cannot be used to witchhunt anyone. Earlier, Gbillah had expressed discomfort at the decision of the police to go after the whistle blowers who presented the House with details of the issue in question.