According to report reaching OYOGist.com, Nigeria’s top lawyer and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has allegedly said that his approval of the sale of recovered barrels of oil to oil companies is not illegal. The minister came out after he announced that he had authorized the sale of crude oil to a company called ‘Omoh-Jay’ despite the company being accused of fraud.
According to the report, Malami ordered the sale of several barrels of crude oil to the company after it was seized from thieves who were vandalizing the national oil pipeline.
Defending himself, Malami said the permission to auction off government crude oil was not a crime because the law allows it.
According to him, section 36 of the Constitution of Nigeria, gave the company Omoh-Jay access to trade oil in Nigeria. He said the company was registered with the government and the court has not yet confirmed the charges against him.
“Anyone who is accused of committing a crime will be presumed innocent until proven guilty,” He said.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson Umar Gwandu, Malami said his office had secured the sale of crude oil following an order from the presidency on October 25, 2018.
