I wasn't involved in oil swap deals', Petrol transporter disowns ex-minister

Okunbor said he never participated in the 'shady' oil contracts Diezani and her allies, Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore, were accused to have masterminded.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) had recently filed a civil forfeiture notice to recover funds and property acquired by Aluko and Omokore with proceeds of the contracts obtained from the Diezani.

The court documents revealed the manner in which Aluko and Omokore compensated Diezani for the hugely lucrative contracts.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Okunbor said his company's only business was to transport crude oil.

He said, "For the umpteenth time, the report feasted on blatant falsehood and outright lies in relations to my business dealings.

"As this falsehood is being assisted with the ubiquity of social media, it is becoming increasingly clear that maintaining silence further will be misconstrued for consent.

"Ocean Marine Solutions (OMS) Limited was contracted by the NNPC to provide security coverage for the crude oil transportation because of its longstanding ‘sterling reputation in maritime security’. This became imperative after NNPC had offered PPP Fluid Mechanics Limited (his indigenous procurement and oilfield services company) a contract to transport crude from Escravos to Warri refinery when it had become highly uneconomical to transport crude oil between these locations through the pipeline in view of government’s huge expenditure of about $121 million for the maintenance and repairs of the Escravos-Warri broken crude oil pipeline.

"Upon satisfaction by NNPC with the delivery of PPPFM and OMS, the companies were adjudged competent and capable for continued transportation of the crude."

Okunbor added neither him nor any of his business entities "has ever engaged in any deal requiring lifting the tiniest drop of oil, crude or refined."

"I am not a trader; I have never submitted nor participated in any "Oil swap" deal, neither do I own a company trading in any petroleum products,

"I have never stood before any administrative, judicial or legislative panels to answer any questions related to any shady deal. I have conducted my businesses with utmost openness, honesty and integrity," he stressed.

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On Wednesday, July 19, A Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the interim forfeiture of an estate in Banana Island reportedly owned by Diezani.

The court also ordered the temporary seizure of $3.7 million in a Zenith bank account, which allegedly belongs to the ex-minister.