Group petitions US agency over violation of FCPA Act by Chevron, Delta Government Officials

Cluster of communities of Itsekiri ethnic extraction in Warri North and Warri South -West Local Government Areas of Delta State under the aegis of Concerned Itsekiri Coastal Dwellers Association, CICDA has petitioned the United States, US Department of Justice, Criminal Division over alleged violation of The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, FCPA of 1977 by Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL in its dealings with some officials of Delta State government, regarding making payments and offer of job slots.

The FCPA act according to CICDA prohibits the willful use of mails or any means of instrumentality of interstate commerce to induce any foreign official to “influence the foreign official” in his or her official capacity so as “to secure improper advantage in order to assist in obtaining or retaining business for or with, or directing business to any person”.

The petition dated December 30,2015 and signed by Rexlly Ede as well as Johnbull Odinma, Chairman and Secretary General of CICDA respectively, accused the member representing Warri North Constituency in Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Michael Diden, Chairman of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Hon. Godwin Ebosa, Vice Chairman of Delta State Government Waterways Security Committee, Mr. Mode David Akoma and the member representing Itsekiri ethnic Nationality in the Board of DESOPADEC, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi of receiving “payments from Chevron Nigeria Limited in return for their utilizing government forces to harass, intimidate and coerce the indigenes of the communities in which Chevron operates to do business in flagrant disregard for human rights and security”.

They further alleged that, “in December 2015 Chevron Nigeria Limited offered to give some job slots to the above name group of government officials pursuant to which document was issued and signed”, claiming that the recruitment exercise is ongoing.

The petition already mailed to the US Department of Justice, which is equivalent to the EFCC in Nigeria included a bank account into which monies were allegedly paid by Chevron for the benefit of the said government officials.

The CICDA listed projects for which the alleged job slots were promised the government officials as: Development of SONAM FIELD Project /West African Ventures job (WAV), Chevron Nigeria Limited Offshore drilling rig project and Offshore Catering Services Contract, warning that if the US agency refused to address the petition, they “might be constrained to do the needful”.

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