Former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, was released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday evening following hours of interrogation over alleged fraud in a $7.2 billion refinery turnaround maintenance project. Kyari, who led NNPCL from 2019 until his dismissal in April 2025 by President Bola Tinubu, honored the EFCC's invitation and arrived at the agency's Abuja headquarters, in Wednesday around 2:15 p.m. with his legal team. Sources confirmed he underwent intensive questioning on financial irregularities tied to the rehabilitation of Nigeria's Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, including potential money laundering and abuse of office. The probe, which escalated in May 2025, has already involved over a dozen NNPCL officials, including former executives like Abubakar Yar’Adua. Last month, a Federal High Court ordered the freezing of four Jaiz Bank accounts linked to Kyari—two in his name and two tied to a community foundation—pending further investigation. EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale did not comment on the session's details, but the agency has emphasized its commitment to tracing misused funds from the project, which failed to restore full refinery operations despite massive allocations. The inquiry builds on a Senate probe into NNPCL's finances from 2017-2023, amid public outcry over persistent fuel scarcity and economic losses.
Related Articles
Don't miss out on breaking stories and in-depth articles.