Abuja:
Nigeria is negotiating a USD 250 million deal with oil services major Halliburton under which it could drop charges of corruption against former US vice president Dick Cheney.
"Yes, there is a deal to that effect but the attorney-general of the federation must ratify it on behalf of the federal government and they have to pay the money before it could come into effect" the spokesperson of the country's anti-corruption police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told PTI.
The 'Guardian' newspaper reported that the deal was sealed in London after some US officials approached Nigerian bureaucrats concerning the corruption allegation.
The officials met in the United Kingdom over the weekend.
Also included in the aforementioned amount is an outstanding USD 132 million which was frozen in Switzerland and must now be transferred to Nigeria.
Barely a week ago, Nigeria's anti-corruption police filed a 16-count charge meant to bring Cheney to appear in the African country to face a USD 240 million bribery allegation.
Bribes were believed to have been paid to some Nigerian officials in connection with the construction of a Liquefied Natural Gas centre at Bonny Island in the oil-rich Niger Delta when Cheney was the Halliburton's chief executive.
A Nigerian subsidiary of Houston, US based firm, Halliburton was mentioned in the charge.
Before then, the EFCC had invited officials of the oil service company for questioning in relation to the case.
An earlier investigation was done by the US but the EFCC said the agency wants to probe it from its own perspective.
Also, 10 employees of Halliburton were arrested, released and made to remain in the country in anticipation of more investigations. Their travel documents were seized by the EFCC.
Ten Nigerians were also arrested alongside the expatriate workers over the investigation.
KBR and Halliburton had agreed to pay USD 579 million settlement in the US after guilty plea last year over the charges which said USD 180 million was paid in bribe to Nigerian officials to secure a contract worth USD 6 billion between 1994 and 2004 at Bonny Island Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project.
"Yes, there is a deal to that effect but the attorney-general of the federation must ratify it on behalf of the federal government and they have to pay the money before it could come into effect" the spokesperson of the country's anti-corruption police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told PTI.
The 'Guardian' newspaper reported that the deal was sealed in London after some US officials approached Nigerian bureaucrats concerning the corruption allegation.
The officials met in the United Kingdom over the weekend.
Also included in the aforementioned amount is an outstanding USD 132 million which was frozen in Switzerland and must now be transferred to Nigeria.
Barely a week ago, Nigeria's anti-corruption police filed a 16-count charge meant to bring Cheney to appear in the African country to face a USD 240 million bribery allegation.
Bribes were believed to have been paid to some Nigerian officials in connection with the construction of a Liquefied Natural Gas centre at Bonny Island in the oil-rich Niger Delta when Cheney was the Halliburton's chief executive.
A Nigerian subsidiary of Houston, US based firm, Halliburton was mentioned in the charge.
Before then, the EFCC had invited officials of the oil service company for questioning in relation to the case.
An earlier investigation was done by the US but the EFCC said the agency wants to probe it from its own perspective.
Also, 10 employees of Halliburton were arrested, released and made to remain in the country in anticipation of more investigations. Their travel documents were seized by the EFCC.
Ten Nigerians were also arrested alongside the expatriate workers over the investigation.
KBR and Halliburton had agreed to pay USD 579 million settlement in the US after guilty plea last year over the charges which said USD 180 million was paid in bribe to Nigerian officials to secure a contract worth USD 6 billion between 1994 and 2004 at Bonny Island Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
