EFCC has reportedly quizzed Ex-NNPCL Boss Mele Kyari over alleged multi-billion naira fraud.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the immediate past Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, is currently being quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with ongoing investigations into alleged fraud at the state oil firm.
A senior source at the EFCC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed on Wednesday that Kyari honoured an invitation from the Commission and is presently at its headquarters in Abuja.
EFCC Probe Deepens
The interrogation follows a recent ruling by the Federal High Court, Abuja, which ordered the temporary freezing of four Jaiz Bank accounts linked to Kyari. The accounts are being scrutinized over alleged fraudulent transactions.
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Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order after EFCC counsel, Ogechi Ujam, filed an ex-parte motion requesting additional time to conclude investigations.
The probe has already drawn in several top former NNPCL officials, including ex-Chief Financial Officer Umar Isa and former Warri Refinery Managing Director Jimoh Olasunkanmi, over an alleged $7.2 billion fraud tied to refinery rehabilitation projects in Kaduna, Warri, and Port Harcourt.
Sources said investigators are examining suspected abuse of office, diversion of funds, and kickbacks from contractors.
Senate Queries and Financial Discrepancies
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Senator Aliyu Wadada, recently flagged what it described as “mind-boggling discrepancies” running into trillions of naira in NNPCL’s audited financial statements from 2017 to 2023.
The Committee has issued 11 queries to the company’s finance team, with a one-week deadline to respond.
Background
Kyari’s invitation by the EFCC comes months after President Bola Tinubu dissolved the NNPCL board, removing both Kyari and former board chairman Pius Akinyelure.
The Presidency said the restructuring was necessary to restore investor confidence, strengthen local content, drive gas commercialization, and enhance efficiency at the national oil company.
The EFCC investigation remains ongoing, with sources stressing that arraignment of suspects will depend on the outcome of the probe.
