TheCapital

• He reportedly denied stakeholders due opportunities to favour his mediocre cronies

A crook and contempt are friends. The shady character excites the scornful tribute of a sneer every time the discussion segues to him. More often than not, the crooked man despoils and looms in the public’s consciousness, like a troll from a medieval horror. Consider the case of Dafe Sejebor, the Group General Manager (GGM) of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) for instance, due to his perceived crookedness has become a subject of inquiry by the House of Representatives. Recently, one week ago to be precise, Dafe was invited to sit before an investigative hearing conducted by the House of Representatives’ Committees on Petroleum (Upstream) and Public Procurement over an alleged $260 million “illegal” contract by NAPIMS, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Findings revealed that instead of ensuring the development of the local content act, a law that opens huge opportunities and favours the participation of Nigerians in the oil and gas industry, Dafe had been denying Nigerians the potential benefits of the local content act. Thus Dafe had allegedly been depriving Nigeria of tangible value and revenue by deliberately delaying the signing the contracts of competent local operators that are connected to the Nigerian joint venture with the international companies (IOCs). Dafe reportedly diverted the opportunities managed by NAPIMS to favour his mediocre cronies who were incompetent to were too incompetent to handle the job.

By engaging in such shady acts, Dafe allegedly acquired stupendous wealth comprising expensive properties in Sugarland Texas, United States (US). He also acquired several exotic automobiles including a Bentley.

While he profited from the shading dealings, many stakeholders in the oil sector reportedly groaned in dissatisfaction but they could not voice their resentment in fear of victimisation by Dafe. Many of them feared that if they protested, Dafe and his lackeys would not sign their contract applications. They are terribly disturbed that Dafe’s unethical behaviour and shameful handling of businesses in NAPIMS, a very strategic arm of the nation’s oil corporation, would undermine the fight against corruption by the incumbent administration.

Dafe holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA general) and Bachelor of Law Degree (LLB) acquired from the University of Benin in 1989 and 2001 respectively. He also holds a Bachelor of Science (Bsc) Degree in Geology from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in 1981.

He joined the services of the NNPC in 1982 as a Research Geologist in the Exploration Research Section of the Research and Development Department (R&D) of NNPC in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State and has a rich experience in the Upstream Sector of the Oil and Gas Industry. Prior to his appointment as Group General Manager, NAPIMS, Dafe had served in various capacities in the oil industry’s upstream sector.