RMAFC denies report claiming disputed oil wells have been ceded

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has dismissed reports claiming that disputed crude oil and gas wells have already been ceded to certain oil-producing states, describing the claims as misleading and premature.

The Commission said the report, which circulated in parts of the media, including a broadcast by ARISE News, falsely suggested that recommendations on the ownership of the affected oil wells had been finalized.

Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, clarified that no final decision has been made, explaining that the Commission only recently received a draft report from the inter-agency committee responsible for verifying the coordinates of disputed oil and gas wells.

He stressed that the draft does not represent the Commission’s final position and warned the public and stakeholders against relying on unverified claims. According to him, the verification process remains ongoing and will follow established institutional procedures before any conclusions are reached.

Draft report under technical and legal review

Shehu explained that the draft report has been forwarded to relevant technical and statutory agencies, including the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the National Boundary Commission, and the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, for detailed technical and legal review.

He added that after receiving input from these agencies, the Commission’s internal committees will conduct further evaluation before presenting their findings at a plenary session. The final report will then be submitted to the President and the Attorney-General of the Federation for consideration in line with constitutional provisions.

The Commission urged the public and media organisations to disregard the circulating claims and await official communication, reaffirming its commitment to transparency, due process, and fairness in resolving disputes over oil and gas assets.

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