NNPCL is involved in subsidy scams - Fmr Gov Isa Yuguda reveals

Former Bauchi state governor, Isa Yuguda, has said that the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission Limited, NNPCL is involved in the subsidy scam in the oil sector of the country.

He said, "Of course. Who else is doing it. Those that are in the subsidy scam, they just fill papers, invoices and they claim subsidy on it. In fact, there was an instance of a pipeline that was supposed to exist between Lagos and Warri and tons and tons of monies were collected as subsidy on a pipeline that never existed. This is Nigeria for you."

He noted that a former President who was aware the fuel subsidy was a scam refused to issue the directive because he lacked the political will to stop it.

During an interview, the former governor revealed that one of his friends who was profiting from the fuel subsidy once spoke to a former President and asked that fuel subsidy be stopped as they were tired of making money.

Yuguda is known to have served as the chairman of a committee that looked into the subsidy regime a years ago and discovered the scam in it.

"I am sad to let Nigerians know what I saw. We came across situations where subsidy was claimed on pipelines that never existed. They just claimed that they have pumped X amount of either finished products or crude, either from Kaduna or Warri," he said.

He added that the findings his committee discovered was presented to the federal government but they failed to act on it.

"They are all involved in this things. All of them. I will sadly also report that Nigeria subsidy, we go on subsidizing Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Africa because the bulk of these products are smuggled out of this country, then who is subsidizing who?

"It can be very frustrating in Nigeria to implement policies especially where there are entrenched interests and a cabal that exists. It is just similar to this bunkeering issue. It can be stopped but you can't stop it. It can be stopped but the political will is not there. There are so many interests that are involved there and that is what is leading Nigeria to where we are today.

"The subsidy regime should have gone way back in 2012/2013. Any person that is shouting subsidies and that it is going to affect that or this is a selfish person. They are connected to the scammers killing this country.

"In fact I have one of my friends who is in the oil industry. We travelled to China with one of the Presidents of Nigeria. He told me 'I am a member of the Economic team of Mr. President and when I went for a meeting, I told him Mr. President, Please remove this subsidy, we are tired of making money'. I am telling you to God Almighty. He said ‘We are tired of making money Mr President', because he is a patriot and he has seen the scam that is going on there. And he told me, He is alive today."

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