The United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services has urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reopen an investigation into Shell and Eni’s 2011 acquisition of rights to Nigeria’s Oil Prospecting Licence, OPL, 245, one of the country’s most lucrative oilfields.
Lawmakers stated that available evidence implicated both Shell and Eni in bribery allegations involving Nigerian government officials, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, to the tune of $1.1 billion.
In a statement, the lawmakers highlighted, “Available evidence implicates both companies in a scheme that resulted in the payment of $1.1 billion in bribes to Nigerian government officials, including then President Goodluck Jonathan.”
The committee noted that both Shell and Eni, registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), continue to profit from the deal, allegedly violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
