Chad anti-corruption inspectors detained, assaulted at state oil firm

Chad's independent anti-corruption authority (AILC) said on Wednesday that security agents detained and assaulted its inspectors while they were examining the state-owned Chadian Hydrocarbons Company's (SHT) crude-oil operations, according to a statement.



AILC said it had sent a team to examine the company's financial, material and human resources management from 2024 to the present.



Inspectors sought documents including sales invoices issued to buyers of SHT crude oil, which the AILC said were necessary to verify the completeness, accuracy and regularity of revenue from oil sales.



According to the AILC statement, SHT's director general, deputy director general and commercial director refused to provide the requested records despite legal obligations requiring entities under the authority's oversight to provide access to management-related documents and information.



The dispute escalated when the head of the National State Security Agency, known as ANSE, arrived at SHT's premises with masked and heavily armed agents, the AILC said



The agency said its deputy controller general, its director general of investigations and oversight, inspectors and assistants were handcuffed, hooded and assaulted before being taken to ANSE offices, where they were held for several hours



The AILC said the officials' phones and computers were seized and examined, despite explanations from its deputy controller general that the inspection was legal.