The Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, presiding on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and his company MMB Petroleum and Chemical Company, have been accused of defrauding a small indigenous company, Menj Oil Ltd., seven hundred and five million Naira (N705,000,000), being part payment for 2 million liters of AGO, also known as Diesel.
A whistleblower, @PIDOMNIGERIA, who identified himself as an investigative journalist and prides himself in providing credible and reliable information but hated by security agencies, made the accusation in a series of tweets on his Twitter handle.
According to the whistleblower, Buni colluded with First bank to forge a court order and freeze the customer’s account.
“They now used the seven hundred and five million naira paid to them by that small indigenous company, who is doing business with them for the first time, to deposit as part of the requested 50% upfront payment by TRADE OIL SARL. But they failed to pay the 50% complete.
“So the company refused to discharge the cargo. In February of 2023, the company TRADE OIL SARL, wrote to MMB PETROLEUM, to notify them of breach of their trade payment terms.
“Mind you, the small indigenous company payment for 2 million liters of AGO, by February 2023, is now one month in the hands of MMB petroleum, without them seeing or receiving the product. But the bank interest is reading.
“TRADE OIL SARL, gave MMB PETROLEUM 15 working days to make the payment, so the cargo can be discharged. But MMB PETROLEUM failed to do so.
“They only wrote to TRADE OIL SARL, to grant them the request to handover their right of purchase to another company. Menj Oil Ltd. Whereas, they were still holding on to the 705,000,000 paid to them for 2 million liters of AGO.
“TRADE OIL SARL agreed to their request, but the new Company Menj Oil Ltd. could not also meet up with the 50% upfront payment. TRADE OIL SARL had no choice than to terminate the sales agreement it entered with MMB petroleum, on the 27th of February 2023.
It also asked MMB PETROLEUM to provide a bank account for refunds of its deposit. But MMB PETROLEUM is asking TRADE OIL SARL, to discharge the cargo, after sales, it will pay all the 100% payment. The company refused.
“Since January 14th 2023 that small indigenous company paid MMB PETROLEUM 50% upfront payment for AGO, they haven’t gotten the product, or their refund.
“MMB PETROLEUM refused to send any bank account to TRADE OIL SARL, so the refund could be made simply because the money hanging is not theirs.
“But the 3 months bank interest kept reading and increasing on the head of the owners of that small company who owns the cash. All efforts to get back their money, or product, has met brick wall.
“The CFO MMB PETROLEUM Aminu is requesting for bribe, for him to get back the money. He kept frustrating the small company. The Governor of Yobe state and owner has been reached, but nothing.
“His wife has been contacted, but nothing
All efforts to recover back the money has been frustrating. They are using government connections to intimidate a small company, while trying to scam them.
“I am giving Governor Mai Mala Buni and his company MMB PETROLEUM, 4 days to release that money, or else i will publish every document in my possession, so the whole world can see and know who he is. The world will also know what MMB PETROLEUM AND CHEMICAL COMPANY stands for. How dubious they are.”
On his part, Governor Buni responded through one of his “aides”, Kablatz Tribe, @KablatzTribe.
Kablatz Tribe said that the information about MMB’s transactions shared by the whistleblower is “false” and advised him to “properly disengage from posting” such.
He tweeted:
“This is to advise you to properly disengage from posting false information about MMB’s transactions. What you have posted is not the true position of the transaction. So, kindly drop it. Note, also that the person you are attacking is the wrong person.
“MMB platform was used for a transaction. The small company was not scammed; there is a hitch which is explained in your tweet.
“Do your findings before calling people out wrongly. Bring your tweet down. Thanks.
“Note that the vessel is still berthed in Lag. Advise your complaint to carry out KYC going forward.”
The whistleblower, however, shrugged off the advice as bluff and insisted that he will release confidential documents used in the transaction after four days.
He tweeted:
“The aide of Yobe Sate Governor Mai Mala Buni, thinks he can threaten me to take down my tweet, or he can absolve the Governor from the scam being perpetrated by his company MMB Petroleum and Chemical Company. My 4 days remains my 4 days ultimatum. Confidential documents will fly.”
