The Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited, Jide Omokore has reportedly paid over $14m, worth of crude oil royalty to the federal government.
The company which was incorporated in 2010, was controversially awarded oil assets by the Goodluck Jonathan government.
Omokore is widely believed to have been an ally of the former President and also has close ties with the former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The $14m paid by Omokore’s company is royalty that was meant to have been remitted to the federal treasury.
Premium Times reports that senior federal officials privy to the development, revealed that the funds should have been paid between 2011 and 2012 by Atlantic Energy.
The report states that the money was eventually paid into the Federal Government’s account with JP Morgan Chase on January 29.
The payment was reported to have come after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission got involved in the case, to recover the funds for the Federal Government.
EFCC operatives had on January 27, invited Omokore for questioning, in connection with several multi-billion dollar crude export deals.
A source at the EFCC was quoted to have said on Wednesday that “the investigation of tax defaulters in the dollar-soaked oil industry is continuing. Those who failed to willingly pay up stand the risk of arrest and prosecution for tax fraud.”
Atlantic Energy is also said to have recently issued a statement saying it was getting back on course after submitting its plan to pay outstanding debts to the Nigerian government.
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