NASS to Launch Joint Probe into Petroleum Sector Malpractices, Inaugurate Committee Tuesday

LEGISLATURENASS to Launch Joint Probe into Petroleum Sector Malpractices, Inaugurate Committee Tuesday

Opeyemi Bamidele

The National Assembly is set to relaunch its investigation into alleged economic sabotage within Nigeria’s petroleum sector, following the decision to form a joint committee. This follows the earlier suspension of separate probes by the Senate and House of Representatives in July. The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who also chairs the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on this issue, revealed the latest developments in a statement on Monday.

“As we fully return to legislative duties this Tuesday, the National Assembly is prepared to revisit the pressing issues in the petroleum industry,” Senator Bamidele said. “The sector is not performing optimally, which is tied to several challenges such as crude oil theft, ongoing and ineffective maintenance of public refineries, substandard petroleum imports, and disruptions in fuel supply.”

Addressing earlier reports suggesting the Senate had suspended its investigation, Senator Bamidele clarified: “The Senate did not suspend its Ad-hoc Committee on Alleged Economic Sabotage in the Petroleum Industry. The public hearing was only postponed to resolve matters concerning the National Assembly’s procedural rules.”

He further explained that both the Senate and the House of Representatives are now ready to collaborate through a joint committee, which will pick up the investigation from where the individual efforts left off. “We are committed to uncovering the root causes of economic sabotage in the petroleum sector and establishing stronger mechanisms to make the industry more efficient,” he affirmed.

In addition to the petroleum sector probe, Senator Bamidele highlighted that both chambers are awaiting the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) from the Executive, both essential for the preparation and approval of the 2025 national budget. “The MTEF is crucial to our legislative agenda because it must be in place before the 2025 Appropriation Bill can be submitted,” he said.

Furthermore, the Senate Leader discussed the 1999 Constitution review, chaired by Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibrin. In the coming weeks, the committee will host retreats, call for public memoranda, and organize zonal meetings to address sections of the constitution in need of amendments.

With a highly skilled team working on the constitutional review, Senator Bamidele expressed optimism that the process would deliver meaningful reforms, adding, “This exercise promises a truly federative approach that will reshape governance in Nigeria.”