Nigeria, Germany may row over nuclear materials
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Nigeria, Germany may row over nuclear materials
From the Nigerian Guardian
Nigeria, Germany may row over nuclear materials
From Emmanuel Onwubiko, Abuja
A DIPLOMATIC row may be brewing between Nigeria and Germany over two radioactive materials declared missing in 2002 in the Niger Delta region by a United States (U.S.) oil services company, Halliburton.
The Justice Minister and Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi (SAN), yesterday expressed dismay at Germany's seeming disregard for Nigeria in ensuring justice over the matter.
He disclosed that the Nigerian government had already lodged its protest on the matter to its German and U.S. counterparts as well as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Halliburton, on December 3, 2002, declared the radioactive materials missing while in transit between Warri, Delta State, and Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The hand-held materials contained Caesium - 137, which can be used in a radioactive "dirty bomb." They are primarily, however, used to x-ray oil pipelines to check for cracks. The materials are also a risk to human health.
Some suspects have been arrested in Kaduna, Lagos and Warri over the materials, which were discovered to have been exported by a company belonging to a Nigerian. They have been released on bail.
The materials, which were labelled as "stainless steel" and exported by a German recycling company, were intercepted by German authorities at a steel recycling plant in the state of Bavaria, Germany.
As required by the convention on early notification and assistance, the Federal Government had on receiving Halliburton's report of the missing materials, filed a report of the loss with the IAEA, whose emergency response team thereafter visited Nigeria from February 16 to 20, 2003.
The IAEA in turn brought the matter to the attention of the international community.
On March 5, 2003, the Nigeria Nuclear Regulation Authority (NNRA) formally suspended Halliburton from carrying out any activity involving the use, importation, transport and transfer of a radioactive source in Nigeria until the missing materials were recovered.
Olujinmi, in a statement yesterday, said that the radioactive materials were found to have been exported and later intercepted by German authorities.
According to the Attorney-General, the Federal Government on October 28, 2003, requested the German authorities to return the radioactive materials to Nigeria after concluding the case in Germany.
This, according to him, would enable Nigeria prosecute those implicated in the "stealing and unlawful exportation" of the materials.
An inter-ministerial committee set up by government to fish out the culprits, interrogated and arrested suspects from Kaduna, Lagos and Warri.
Olujinmi said in the statement that the committee set up by the Federal Government visited Germany between January 18 and 23 this year with a view to retrieving the radioactive materials and to monitor the trial of all the suspects.
"To their dismay, however, the members of the committee were told that Halliburton had taken possession of the radioactive devices and had exported same to the U.S. on January 16, 2004, two days before the committee was billed to arrive in Germany," Olujinmi disclosed.
The Attorney-General said: "The Federal Government has protested to the German government against the abrupt, unilateral discontinuation of the criminal investigation, improper lifting of the seizure on the radioactive sources and release of sources to Halliburton USA despite the manifest registration of Nigeria's interest in the matter.
Furthermore, the Federal Government also lodged a formal complaint to the IAEA on the matter and to the U.S. government over the conduct of the U.S.-based Halliburton company. The response of the U.S. government is being awaited."
Speaking on other measures the Nigerian government had adopted to forestall a repeat of the incident, the minister pledged that the six-man committee would work vigorously to achieve results.
The panel, headed by the Attorney-General, has the following terms of reference:
to identify persons/ corporate bodies involved within Nigeria and abroad;
to ascertain harmful effects, if any, on persons who handled the radioactive materials;
to establish any legal claims/ damages that can be instituted against Messrs. Halliburton Energy Services Nigeria Limited;
to identify any lapses that led to the materials being exported out of the country undetected; and
to suggest ways of preventing a recurrence.
Olujinmi said: "Government is committed to ensuring the safety of its citizens and will always direct its efforts with determination and zeal to that end."
He vowed to deal decisively with the culprits, saying: "All those who are implicated in the stealing, exportation and negligent handling of the sources as may be identified and made to face appropriate actions. In addition, Halliburton USA will be brought to justice."
Meanwhile, the company, which once had the serving U.S. Vice President d#$% Cheney as its helmsman, currently has two bribery charges levelled against it. One relates to tax evasion dating back to 1991, and the other to a contract for the building of trains one and two of the Nigerian liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG).
Nigeria, Germany may row over nuclear materials
From Emmanuel Onwubiko, Abuja
A DIPLOMATIC row may be brewing between Nigeria and Germany over two radioactive materials declared missing in 2002 in the Niger Delta region by a United States (U.S.) oil services company, Halliburton.
The Justice Minister and Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi (SAN), yesterday expressed dismay at Germany's seeming disregard for Nigeria in ensuring justice over the matter.
He disclosed that the Nigerian government had already lodged its protest on the matter to its German and U.S. counterparts as well as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Halliburton, on December 3, 2002, declared the radioactive materials missing while in transit between Warri, Delta State, and Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The hand-held materials contained Caesium - 137, which can be used in a radioactive "dirty bomb." They are primarily, however, used to x-ray oil pipelines to check for cracks. The materials are also a risk to human health.
Some suspects have been arrested in Kaduna, Lagos and Warri over the materials, which were discovered to have been exported by a company belonging to a Nigerian. They have been released on bail.
The materials, which were labelled as "stainless steel" and exported by a German recycling company, were intercepted by German authorities at a steel recycling plant in the state of Bavaria, Germany.
As required by the convention on early notification and assistance, the Federal Government had on receiving Halliburton's report of the missing materials, filed a report of the loss with the IAEA, whose emergency response team thereafter visited Nigeria from February 16 to 20, 2003.
The IAEA in turn brought the matter to the attention of the international community.
On March 5, 2003, the Nigeria Nuclear Regulation Authority (NNRA) formally suspended Halliburton from carrying out any activity involving the use, importation, transport and transfer of a radioactive source in Nigeria until the missing materials were recovered.
Olujinmi, in a statement yesterday, said that the radioactive materials were found to have been exported and later intercepted by German authorities.
According to the Attorney-General, the Federal Government on October 28, 2003, requested the German authorities to return the radioactive materials to Nigeria after concluding the case in Germany.
This, according to him, would enable Nigeria prosecute those implicated in the "stealing and unlawful exportation" of the materials.
An inter-ministerial committee set up by government to fish out the culprits, interrogated and arrested suspects from Kaduna, Lagos and Warri.
Olujinmi said in the statement that the committee set up by the Federal Government visited Germany between January 18 and 23 this year with a view to retrieving the radioactive materials and to monitor the trial of all the suspects.
"To their dismay, however, the members of the committee were told that Halliburton had taken possession of the radioactive devices and had exported same to the U.S. on January 16, 2004, two days before the committee was billed to arrive in Germany," Olujinmi disclosed.
The Attorney-General said: "The Federal Government has protested to the German government against the abrupt, unilateral discontinuation of the criminal investigation, improper lifting of the seizure on the radioactive sources and release of sources to Halliburton USA despite the manifest registration of Nigeria's interest in the matter.
Furthermore, the Federal Government also lodged a formal complaint to the IAEA on the matter and to the U.S. government over the conduct of the U.S.-based Halliburton company. The response of the U.S. government is being awaited."
Speaking on other measures the Nigerian government had adopted to forestall a repeat of the incident, the minister pledged that the six-man committee would work vigorously to achieve results.
The panel, headed by the Attorney-General, has the following terms of reference:
to identify persons/ corporate bodies involved within Nigeria and abroad;
to ascertain harmful effects, if any, on persons who handled the radioactive materials;
to establish any legal claims/ damages that can be instituted against Messrs. Halliburton Energy Services Nigeria Limited;
to identify any lapses that led to the materials being exported out of the country undetected; and
to suggest ways of preventing a recurrence.
Olujinmi said: "Government is committed to ensuring the safety of its citizens and will always direct its efforts with determination and zeal to that end."
He vowed to deal decisively with the culprits, saying: "All those who are implicated in the stealing, exportation and negligent handling of the sources as may be identified and made to face appropriate actions. In addition, Halliburton USA will be brought to justice."
Meanwhile, the company, which once had the serving U.S. Vice President d#$% Cheney as its helmsman, currently has two bribery charges levelled against it. One relates to tax evasion dating back to 1991, and the other to a contract for the building of trains one and two of the Nigerian liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG).