Mismanagement of Funds: Probe of NNPC Begins as EFCC Holds Mele Kyari, Others in Custody
Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered from TheCable that the former group CEO of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, Mele Kyari and some top officials of the national company who were recently relieved of their jobs are in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
OTN News further reports as gathered that Kyari and other top officials who were taken into custody on Friday and likely to spend the entire weekend at the anti-graft agency, are being questioned over allegations of mismanagement of funds and abuse of office.
Subsequently, It was also gathered that a leaked letter sent to the new GCEO of NNPC, Bayo Ojulari, which has been trending on social media sell the information out, despite the EFCC officials keeping mum over the matter.
In the letter, the commission requested for certified true copies of the allowances and emoluments of 14 officials, “including that of those who have retired and no longer work with your organization”.
The listed officials are: Abubakar Lawal Yar’ Adua, Mustapha Magaji Sugungun, Mele Kolo Kyari, Kayode Olusegun Adetokunbo, Isiaka Abdulrazak, Efiok Michael Akpan, Umar Ajiya, Babatunde Bakare, Dikko Ahmed, Jimoh Olasunkanmi, Ibrahim Onoja, Bello Kankaya, Ademoye Adeniyi Jelli, and Desmond Inyama.
Ojulari removed the managing directors of the three refineries in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri during the week.
This sweeping move, was said to aim at halting “continued value erosion” in Nigeria’s refining sector.
The previous management, led by Kyari, spent billions of dollars on revamping the refineries but insiders say they are far from delivering optimal output.
Ojulari also inaugurated a high-level assessment team led by the executive vice president, downstream, Mumuni Dagazzau, to embark on an immediate operational assessment tour of all NNPC refineries to determine their current status and provide recommendations.
OTN News recalls that the NNPC terminated the services of a number of senior staff members.
The former chief of National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Bala Wunti, and the managing director of the Kaduna Refinery, Ibrahim Onoja, were asked to leave.
Also, the chief compliance officer and former managing director of NNPC Trading, Lawal Sade, was also affected.
What's Your Reaction?
