By Ken Chiwendu
At least,14 officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), including two former chief executives, Mele Kyari and Abubakar Yar’Adua, are currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged misappropriation of funds and abuse of office, a letter addressed to the NNPCL has shown.
In the letter dated April 28, 2025, addressed to the Group Managing Director of the firm, NNPCL, the EFCC requested a certified true copy of the emoluments and allowances of the affected persons, both former and current employees.
The letter, titled “Investigation Activities Request for Information,” with reference number CR:3000/EFCC/ABJ/HQ/SDC.2/NNPC/VOL.1/698, read in part, “The Commission is investigating a case of Abuse of Office and Misappropriation of Funds in which the under-listed officials of your organisation featured.
“In view of the above, you are kindly requested to furnish certified true copies of their emoluments and allowances, including that of those who have retired and no longer work with your organisation.
Those listed by the EFCC include a former Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kolo Kyari; Ibrahim Onoja; Mustapha Magaji Sugungun; Abubakar Lawal Yar’Adua; Isiaka Abdulrazak; Umar Ajiya; Dikko Ahmed; and Ademoye Adeniyi Jelili.
Others are Kayode Olusegun Adetokunbo, Efiok Michael Akpan, Jimoh Olasunkanmi, Bello Kankaya, and Desmond Inyama.
The investigation is linked to the funds allocated for rehabilitating the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company.
According to Channels TV,EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that a probe is ongoing.
He, however, did not disclose further details.
“There are ongoing investigations into the funds released for the rehabilitation of the Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt refineries,” Oyewale said in a terse statement sent to our correspondent.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu approved the reconstitution of the NNPCL Limited board on April 2, removing the Chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure, and the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mallam Mele Kyari.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu removed all other board members appointed with Akinyelure and Kyari in November 2023.
The new 11-man board has Engineer Bashir Ojulari as the Group CEO and Ahmadu Kida as Non-Executive Chairman.
Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umaru Ajiya as the chief financial officer last November, was appointed to the new board by President Tinubu. Six board members, non-executive directors, represent the country’s geopolitical zones.
The President, invoking the powers granted under Section 59, subsection 2 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, emphasised that the board’s restructuring was crucial for enhancing operational efficiency, restoring investor confidence, boosting local content, driving economic growth, and advancing gas commercialisation and diversification.
Tinubu also gave the new board an immediate action plan to conduct a strategic portfolio review of NNPC-operated and joint venture assets to ensure alignment with value maximisation objectives.
