The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the recently sacked top officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over an alleged link to refinery rehabilitation fraud.
According to reports emerging on Saturday, the anti-graft agency has arrested and detained top officials of the NNPCL including former managing directors of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries.
The reported arrests were said to be part of a sweeping investigation into an alleged $2.9 billion refinery rehabilitation fraud.
It was gathered that the EFCC is investigating allegations of mismanagement of funds allocated for refinery rehabilitation.
Sources reveal that $1.56 billion was allocated to the Port Harcourt refinery, $740.67 million to the Kaduna refinery, and $656.96 million to the Warri refinery.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the Federal government has been allocating huge sums of money to revamp the refineries; however, despite the funds, they are yet to become fully operational, leading to escalating concerns among Nigerians.
Recall also that recently, NNPCL was said to have reportedly undergone another significant management shake-up, which reportedly affected over 200 senior staff members, including key allies of former Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Mele Kyari.
The action which was reported to have been initiated under the leadership of newly appointed GCEO Bayo Ojulari, is believed to be a bold step toward enhancing operational efficiency and transparency within Nigeria’s state-owned oil giant.
Some of those reportedly eased out are said to be high-profile figures closely associated with Kyari, who was removed from his position on April 2, 2025, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Among those said to be affected include Bala Wunti, former chief of National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), and Ibrahim Onoja, managing director of the Kaduna Refinery.
The emergence of the report coincided with NNPCL coming under fire over refinery rehabilitation fraud.
The national oil company came under scrutiny after reports showed that the $897m Warri refinery revamp flopped.
A document on the Midstream and Downstream sector obtained from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) revealed that the Warri refinery has been non-operational since January 25, 2025.
Since then Nigerians have been expressing their concerns about a potential refinery rehabilitation fraud.
In a recent development, it was gathered that the allegations led the EFCC to launch an investigation.
According to sources familiar with the matter, investigators have already traced ₦80 billion to the personal accounts of one sacked managing director, intensifying scrutiny on the NNPCL’s financial dealings.
Also, sources at the NNPCL disclosed that the EFCC is also investigating 13 former senior officials.
The agency was said to have requested certified records of these officials’ emoluments and allowances as part of an investigation into the refinery rehabilitation fraud.
One of the sources said: “We are investigating the money that was released for the rehabilitation of all three refineries—money disbursed in recent times. All the principal officers within that time frame are being invited.
“Some have been arrested already, and we are still on the lookout for others. Nigerians are interested in seeing our refineries work. We are asking: where is the money, and what has happened to the refineries?.”
