Former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, has submitted himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged multi-billion dollar fraud linked to refinery rehabilitation projects.
Kyari, who led the NNPCL until recently, reportedly appeared at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja following invitations by investigators probing the alleged financial mismanagement and irregularities in contracts tied to the company’s multi-billion dollar refinery revamp programme.
While details of the investigation remain sketchy, sources within the anti-graft agency disclosed that the EFCC is scrutinizing procurement processes, contract awards, and expenditure linked to the refinery projects which have attracted huge public funds with limited progress on ground.
The case has generated intense public interest, given the scale of Nigeria’s refinery challenges and the billions already spent on turn-around maintenance over the years without functional outcomes. EFCC officials are expected to interrogate Kyari extensively and may press charges if substantial evidence is established.