The Senate has directed the Police to arrest chief
executives of 30 firms, including Crown Flour Mills for failing to appear
before its committee probing national revenue loss.
The companies are alleged to have been involved in the N30
trillion-revenue believed to have been lost by the country in its maritime
sector.
The other companies are British American Tobacco, CCECC, Dana
Group, Olam Int. Ltd., Hong Xing Steel Co. Ltd., Visafone, African Wire, Star
Comments and Allied Ltd. and Aarti Steel Nig. Ltd.
Others are Abyem-Diva Int. Ltd., Gagasel Int., Friesland
Capina, Etco Nig., Edic Chemicals and Allied Distributors, De United Foods, Don
Climax Group, Skill G Nig. Ltd., Premium Seafood and La Rauf Nig. Ltd.
Also involved are Standard Metallurgical Co. Ltd., Kam
Industries, IBG Investment Ltd., Orazulike Trading Co. Ltd., Popular Foods
Ltd., A-Kelnal Integrated & Logistics Services, African Industries, African
Tiles & Ceramics and ZTE Nigeria.
The Senate Joint Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff and
Marine Transport, handling the investigation had invited 63 firms accused of
complicity in the scam but only 33 honoured the invitation.
The order to arrest the companies’ officials was announced
by chairman of the committee, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, at the committee’s meeting on
Friday in Abuja.
He said the refusal of the officials to honour the
invitation in spite of several reminders was disrespect for the National
Assembly.
Uzodinma warned that the 8th Senate would not tolerate such
behaviour from anybody or institution, particularly in the present situation
that involved Federal Government funds.
According to him, investigations carried out by the joint
committee showed several forms of infractions that have cost the country huge
amount of money in revenue loss.
He said such development in a country currently in recession
was a disservice to it.
”It is no longer going to be business as usual.
”We have directed the Nigeria Police to arrest the heads of
the firms and bring them before us.
”If we can suspend our recess as lawmakers to see to the end
of this investigation, I see no reason why the firms that have been indicted
will not come to defend themselves,” he said.
The chairman asked the firms that honoured the invitation to
go through the documents given to them and return next week for defence.
The Senate, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),
had mandated the joint committee to carry out extensive investigation into
alleged N30 trillion revenue leakages in the import and export value chain
between 2006 and 2017.
The committee had already interfaced with commercial banks
indicted in the matter as well as relevant government agencies.
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