THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of funds by former senior officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), including two former chief executives, Mele Kyari and Abubakar Yar’Adua.
In a letter dated April 28, 2025, with reference number CR:3000/EFCC/ABJ/HQ/SDC.2/NNPC/VOL.1/698, and addressed to the NNPC Managing Director, the EFCC requested certified records of salaries and allowances paid to 14 officials, some of whom are retired.
Titled, “Investigation Activities Request for Information,” the letter stated that the EFCC is probing allegations of financial misconduct and abuse of office and asked the company to submit certified true copies of relevant documents concerning both current and former staff.
Among those named are former Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari; former Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC), Ibrahim Onoja; and former Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), Mustafa Sugungun.
All three were removed in the recent shake-up at the oil company.
Others on the list include: a former Group Managing Director of NNPC, Abubakar Yar’Adua; a former NNPC group executive director, finance & services; Isiaka Abdulrazak; a former Chief Financial Officer NNPC Limited, Umar Ajiya; the former Managing Director of the PHRC, Dikko Ahmed; a power plant engineer at PHRC, Ademoye Jelili; Manager Production at NNPC/KRPC, Efiok Akpan; Kayode Adetokunbo, Babatunde Bakare, Jimoh Olasunkanmi, Bello Kankaya and Desmond Inyama.
“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,” the letter read.
The investigation is believed to be linked to the controversial $2.896 billion spent on refinery rehabilitation projects under their watch.
Of this amount, $1.56 billion was allocated to the Port Harcourt Refinery, $740.6 million to the Kaduna Refinery, and $656.9 million to the Warri Refinery.
The ICIR reported that President Bola Tinubu had sacked the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, along with Board Chairman Pius Akinyelure and other board members.
The president appointed Bashir Ojulari as the new Group CEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as the non-executive chairman.
In a statement by Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday, April 2, Tinubu ordered a complete overhaul of the 11-man board, replacing all members appointed alongside Kyari and Akinyrlure in November 2023.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.