June 11, 2012 by Ade Adesomoju
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN)
| credits: File
| credits: File
the
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has given a 14-day
ultimatum to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke,
to prosecute 16 foreign companies allegedly involved in bribery to the
detriment of Nigeria and its people.
In a letter to the AGF dated June 7,
2012 by its Solicitor, Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP said failure of the
AGF to comply with the ultimatum would force it to institute a legal
action to compel the AGF to do so.
SERAP stated in the letter that the 16
companies had a record of bribery in many other countries, where they
had been found guilty of such practice and they were made to pay huge
compensation.
Top on SERAP’s list of the foreign companies is Halliburton Co.
Also on the list are Kellogg Brown
& Root LLC, Technip SA, Snamprogetti Netherlands BV, ENI SpA, JGC
Corp, MW Kellogg, Willbros International Julius Berger Nigeria Plc,
Panalpina, The Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Pride International.
Others are Noble Corp, Tidewater Inc, Transocean Inc, Shell Nigerian Exploration, Production Co. Ltd, and Siemens AG.
The letter read, “We therefore urge you
to use your good offices, as Chief Law Officer of the Federation to
prosecute the above listed companies within 14 days from the receipt
and/or publication of this letter, failing which SERAP shall seek leave
of court for an order of mandamus compelling you to prosecute the above
named companies for acts of bribery in Nigeria.”
SERAP said the failure to prosecute the
companies amounts to violation of the “legal rights of the deprived,
which constituted “an international wrong.”
The letter read, “SERAP has received
information that certain foreign companies (16 listed above) have been
involved in acts of bribery and corruption in Nigeria.
“However, according to our reports, none of these companies have been prosecuted in Nigeria for those acts.
“It has also come to the knowledge of
SERAP that these foreign companies have paid huge monetary compensation
in the countries where they have been found guilty of such practices.
Yet, the Nigerian people have suffered more the effects of foreign
bribery.
“We believe that the lack of prosecution
by the Nigerian government of the multinationals listed above for
proven foreign bribery constitutes a violation of the international
legal rights of the deprived, and may itself constitute an international
wrong.”
SOURCE: The Punch, 11 June 2012. http://www.punchng.com/
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