By Ayomide Otitoju
Former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kolo Kyari, has reaffirmed his transparency as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) intensifies investigations into funds allocated for refinery rehabilitation during his tenure.
Kyari, who voluntarily honoured the EFCC’s invitation on Wednesday amid reports he had been declared wanted, returned to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday for further questioning. He was released late Wednesday night after several hours of interrogation but remains on administrative bail.
A senior EFCC official confirmed that Kyari will continue to report to investigators until the probe is concluded. “He was released late yesterday, went home, and came back today. He is still with us as I speak. He is on administrative bail and will continue to report until we are done with the interrogation,” the source said.
As part of his bail conditions, the EFCC has seized his passport and other travel documents to prevent him from leaving the country.
In a statement titled Hard Questions, Honest Answers, Kyari maintained he has nothing to hide. “I have done my part; the EFCC must do theirs. When each of us does our duty – without fear or favour, with honour, respect, and commitment – Nigeria moves forward,” he said.
The probe focuses on billions of naira expended on turnaround maintenance of Nigeria’s four refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna. In August, the EFCC secured a court order freezing four bank accounts linked to Kyari in Jaiz Bank, said to have warehoused over ₦661 million suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
So far, the commission has reportedly recovered more than ₦5 billion and $10 million from contractors and officials indicted in fraudulent refinery maintenance deals and is working to recover an additional ₦10 billion and $13 million allegedly siphoned.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede is personally supervising the probe, which the commission said has uncovered large-scale fraud involving over-invoicing, contract inflation, and questionable payments. Former management teams of the refineries have also been interrogated, with charges expected against some NNPCL officials.
The investigation comes amid public frustration over the continued failure of Nigeria’s refineries despite years of massive allocations for rehabilitation projects
