Ex-NNPC official convicted in US over $2.1 million bribery scandal

A United States judge has found Paulinus Okoronkwo, a Nigerian lawyer based in Los Angeles, guilty of receiving a $2.1 million bribe from a Chinese oil company to secure drilling rights in Nigeria.

He was said to have accepted the bribe while serving as an official of the state-owned oil firm, NNPC, now NNPC Ltd.

Mr Okoronkwo, 58, also known as “Pollie,” was found guilty of three counts of money laundering, one count of tax evasion, and one count of obstruction of justice.

The verdict was delivered on 29 August after a four-day trial in California.

Prosecutors told the court that Mr Okoronkwo, a dual US-Nigerian citizen, collected the payment in 2015 while serving as general manager of the upstream division of the NNPC. In that role, he was a public officer and owed a duty of loyalty to Nigeria’s government, the court said.

In October 2015, Addax Petroleum, a Swiss subsidiary of Chinese state-owned oil giant Sinopec, paid a bribe to Mr Okoronkwo in exchange for his influence in securing more favourable financial terms relating to its crude oil drilling in Nigeria, the court ruled.

Evidence showed that Addax wired the funds to a trust account in the name of Mr Okoronkwo’s Los Angeles law firm under the guise of legal consultancy.

Prosecutors described the agreement as a sham designed to cover up the bribe.

Addax was seeking to protect its lucrative drilling rights in Nigeria, which prosecutors said were worth billions of dollars.

In an attempt to cover up the bribe, Addax fired executives who raised concerns about the payment’s legitimacy and lied about the transaction during an audit, the court said.

Investigators revealed that in November 2017, Mr Okoronkwo used $983,200 of the illegally obtained funds to make a down payment on a house in Valencia, California, and failed to declare the money on his 2015 tax returns.

Then in 2022, he lied to federal agents, insisting the money was client funds and not his income.

US District Judge John F. Walter has scheduled 1 December for a sentencing hearing, at which time Mr Okoronkwo will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the obstruction of justice count, and up to five years in federal prison for the tax evasion count.

Mr Okoronkwo is currently released on a $50,000 bond.

The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation led the investigation, with support from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

The case is being prosecuted by the Assistant US Attorneys Alexander Schwab, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section, and Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section.

By Kabir Yusuf, Premium Times

Nigeria to decriminalize attempted suicide by December 2025

The federal government has said Nigeria is on course to decriminalise attempted suicide by December 2025, in a move designed to replace punitive laws with a health-centred approach.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, disclosed this on Wednesday at a press briefing in Abuja to mark the 2025 World Suicide Prevention Day, themed “Changing the narrative on suicide, creating hope through action.”

World Suicide Prevention Day was established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) in partnership with WHO.

Observed annually on 10 September, it seeks to unite communities, governments and organisations under the shared belief that suicide is preventable.

The triennial theme for 2024–2026 is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide.”

The campaign urges societies to challenge myths, break stigma and create safe spaces for compassion and dialogue. It also calls on governments to make suicide prevention and mental health care a priority in public policy.

From punishment to care

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Nigeria records an estimated 15,000 suicide deaths annually.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that over 720,000 people globally die by suicide every year, ranking it as the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 29. Nearly three-quarters of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Lifeline International, drawing on WHO data, further highlights that for each suicide, at least 20 others attempt to take their own lives.

Applied to Nigeria, this translates to more than 300,000 people experiencing suicidal distress each year, many of whom remain without safe or supportive avenues to seek help.

The country’s sections 327 and 231 of the Criminal and Penal Codes make attempted suicide a criminal offence.

To change course, the government in October 2024 inaugurated a National

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Nigeria records an estimated 15,000 suicide deaths annually.

Taskforce on the Decriminalisation of Attempted Suicide, chaired by legal scholar, Cheluchi Onyemelukwe.

The taskforce was mandated to guide the country’s transition to a more compassionate, public health-oriented response.

Mr Pate, represented at the event by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, said significant progress had been recorded since the taskforce began work.

“A government white paper has been finalised to guide national policy, while a draft amendment to the National Mental Health Act 2021, now the National Mental Health Amendment Bill 2025, proposes the repeal of punitive provisions in the Criminal and Penal Codes,” he said.

The draft bill also seeks to bar the prosecution of suicide survivors and provide for care and psychosocial support.

Next steps

According to Mr Pate, the draft bill has been adopted as the official position of the ministry and is undergoing statutory review with the Attorney-General of the Federation.

He added that the next stage will be presenting a memo to the Federal Executive Council for transmission of an Executive Bill to the National Assembly.

“The evidence is clear; increasing public awareness, early identification of warning signs, access to quality mental health care, and community support can reduce suicide rates. This reform is both urgent and necessary,” he said.

A growing concern

Daju Kachollom, in her opening remarks delivered on her behalf by the Director of Port Health Services, Nse Akpan, admitted that suicide cases are under-reported in Nigeria but remain a growing concern.

Ms Kachollom noted that criminalising suicide attempts does not save lives. Rather, it worsens stigma and discourages people from reaching out for help.

She stressed the ministry’s determination to pursue a more humane response to mental health emergencies.

The National Coordinator of the National Mental Health Programme, Tunde Ojo, also reaffirmed the government’s commitment, noting that those struggling with suicidal thoughts require compassion, not punishment.
Support from partners

In a goodwill message, the Vice President of Integration and Nigeria Country Director at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Olufunke Fasawe, noted that Nigeria is among top countries with high suicide cases.

Represented by Chizoba Fashanu, Director of Infectious Diseases, Essential Medicines, Mental Health and Commodities Access at CHAI, she said the initiative has worked with the government for nearly two decades and, in the last two years, has supported innovative mental health programmes focusing on depression, anxiety, and suicide management.

By Fortune Eromonsele, Premium Times

Decomposing body found at Nigeria’s National Assembly

A decomposing body of a man, whose identity has yet to be confirmed, was discovered in a car parked outside the annexe gate of the National Assembly complex.

Multiple sources said the deceased was one of the labourers working at a construction site within the annexe.

The body was found in a red Peugeot 406 with registration number BWR-577 BF at about 9:00 a.m. on Sunday. It was first evacuated to the National Assembly Clinic before being taken to Asokoro General Hospital, where doctors confirmed him dead.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command confirmed the incident, saying an investigation had commenced into the incident.

In a statement on Monday, the command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, said the remains had been deposited at the Asokoro General Hospital while efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death were underway.

She explained that the command received a distress call about the incident and immediately mobilised officers to the scene.

“The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), National Assembly Division, immediately responded to the call and, upon arrival, discovered the deceased inside a red Peugeot 406 motor vehicle with registration number BWR-577 BF.

“The body was promptly evacuated to Asokoro General Hospital, where medical personnel confirmed that it was already in an advanced state of decomposition,” she said.

Mrs Adeh noted that the commissioner of police had ordered a discreet investigation into the incident and directed that efforts be intensified to establish the deceased’s identity.

“The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, has ordered a discreet investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. He directed that efforts be intensified to establish the identity of the deceased. Further updates will be communicated as the investigation progresses,” she said.

Recurring security breaches

Security lapses at the National Assembly have long been a contentious issue. Despite being the heart of Nigeria’s democracy and one of the most guarded facilities in the country, the complex has witnessed repeated breaches.

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported how thieves carted away manhole covers within the complex, a situation showing its security vulnerabilities.

The National Assembly is manned by multiple security outfits, including the Nigeria Police Force, the State Security Service (SSS), and the Sergeant-at-Arms, a parliamentary security unit. Officers of these agencies are stationed at strategic points around the premises, yet criminals have continued to exploit lapses.

Beyond stolen manhole covers, there have been cases of vehicle theft, missing valuables from offices such as television sets, air conditioners, electrical cables, and wires. Despite reviewing CCTV footage, security operatives have yet to apprehend the culprits.

By Abdulqudus Ogundapo, Premium Times

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