EFCC quizzes Mele Kyari over $7.2bn refinery fund

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday grilled the immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, over an ongoing probe into the alleged diversion of a $7.2 billion refinery fund, Daily Trust reports. Kyari, who had earlier been placed on watch list […]

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday grilled the immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, over an ongoing probe into the alleged diversion of a $7.2 billion refinery fund, Daily Trust reports.

Kyari, who had earlier been placed on watch list by the commission, arrived at the anti-graft agency’s headquarters in Abuja at about 2:30pm on Wednesday, before he was subsequently taken to a special room where he faced detectives.

As at the time of filing this report last night, Kyari was still being questioned by the crack detectives of the agency.

Sources within the commission told our correspondent that the former NNPCL boss was invited by the commission to clarify issues surrounding financial transactions that happened under his watch when held sway at the state-owned oil company.

One of the sources, specifically informed Daily Trust that Kyari provided explanations on issues that bordered on funds earmarked for maintenance of the country’s refineries situated in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna.

 “Yes, he’s in our office. He was invited to provide explanations on how some funds earmarked for the country’s refineries were expended during his time as GCEO. That’s all I know for now”, the source told our correspondent.

When asked whether he would be released Wednesday night, the source said he did not know “because the documents are bulky and he must answer questions attached to them one by one.

“If the investigators are satisfied with his explanations, he may be given administrative bail, but of course, I don’t think that can be today (Wednesday),” the source added.

Several phone calls to the spokesman of the agency, Dele Oyewale, were not answered. He was yet to reply to text and WhatsApp messages sent to him as at the time of filing this report last night.

Daily Trust reports that a Federal High Court in Abuja, had earlier frozen four bank accounts linked to Kyari, following demands of the anti-graft agency from the court over allegations bordering on fraud.

Although, Daily Trust was unable to speak to Kyari last night, a sponsored article by the former NNPCL boss stated that he had done his part and the EFCC must do their part.

“… When each of us does our duty-without fear or favour with honour, respect, and commitment – Nigeria moves forward”, he said.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had in April, during a reconstitution of the NNPCL board, removed the chairman, Pius Akinyelure and the Group Chief Executive Officer, Kyari.

The GCEO was consequently replaced by Bashir Ojulari, effective from April 2, 2025. Kyari had earlier served as GCEO of the NNPCL from 2019 till 2025, after the transition of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation into a limited liability company.

A few months after Kyari’s sack, the anti-graft agency clamped down on top former officials of the oil firm including the managing directors of the three refineries in its bid to probe where the funds were expended amid refineries’ failure to function.

It would be recalled that during Kyari’s tenure some refineries were rehabilitated and commissioned.

However they were shut down after some months.

Daily Trust reports that Kyari had been outside Nigeria since his removal by President Tinubu.

It was not clear when he returned to the country ahead of his visit to the EFCC.

But while he was away, some sources said he shuttled between Europe, Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

What happened last month

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, had in August ordered that Kyari’s account be frozen.

In a ruling on an ex parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1641, which was brought by the EFCC and was argued by its lawyer, Ogechi Ujam, the judge froze the accounts for 30 days.

Although the EFCC lawyer had urged the court to freeze the account for 60 days to enable it to conclude the ongoing investigation, Justice Nwite limited the tenure of the order to 30 days, which he said could be renewed if necessary.

Ujam had told the court that the temporary freezing order was necessary because the accounts were currently being investigated in a case involving the offences of conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering pending the conclusion of the investigation.

She identified the accounts as Jaiz Bank account number: 0017922724 with account name: Mele Kyari; Jaiz Bank account number: 0017922724 with account name: Mele Kyari; Jaiz Bank account number: 0018575055 with account name: Guwori Community Dev. and Jaiz Bank account number: 0018575141 with account name: Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief

In his ruling, Justice Nwite said, “I have listened to counsel to the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence with the exhibits and written address attached. I find that this application is meritorious and it is hereby granted as prayed,” he said.

Ex-NNPC official convicted for bribery in US

Meanwhile, the United States District Court in California has convicted a Nigerian US-based lawyer, Paulinus Iheanacho Okoronkwo for receiving $2.1 million bribe from a Chinese oil company to secure drilling rights in Nigeria.

Okoronkwo, who worked with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), was said to have accepted the bribe while serving as an official of the state-owned oil firm.

According to an online platform, PREMIUM TIMES, the Los Angeles-based lawyer, 58, was indicted in 2024, for funnelling the bribes through his US firm.

He was found guilty in a three-count charge of money laundering, one count of tax evasion, and one count of obstruction of justice. The verdict was delivered on August 29, after a four-day trial in California.

Prosecutors told the court that Okoronkwo, a dual US-Nigerian citizen, collected the payment in 2015 while serving as general manager of the upstream division of the NNPC. In that role, he was a public officer and owed a duty of loyalty to Nigeria’s government, the court said.

In October 2015, Addax Petroleum, a Swiss subsidiary of Chinese state-owned oil giant Sinopec, paid a bribe to Mr Okoronkwo in exchange for his influence in securing more favourable financial terms relating to its crude oil drilling in Nigeria, the court ruled.

Evidence showed that Addax wired the funds to a trust account in the name of Mr Okoronkwo’s Los Angeles law firm under the guise of legal consultancy in 2015.

Prosecutors described the agreement as a sham designed to cover up the bribe. Addax was seeking to protect its lucrative drilling rights in Nigeria, which prosecutors said were worth billions of dollars.

Investigators revealed that in November 2017, Mr Okoronkwo used $983,200 of the illegally obtained funds to make a down payment on a house in Valencia, California, and failed to declare the money on his 2015 tax returns.

Then in 2022, he lied to federal agents, insisting the money was client funds and not his income.

US District Judge John F. Walter has scheduled December 1, for a sentencing hearing, at which time Mr Okoronkwo will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the obstruction of justice count, and up to five years in federal prison for the tax evasion count.

Okoronkwo is currently released on a $50,000 bond. The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation led the investigation, with support from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

The case is being prosecuted by the Assistant US Attorneys Alexander Schwab, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section, and Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section.

Kyari, others may appear in Court September 23

Giving further update last night, another source in the EFCC told our correspondent that arrangements were underway to arraign Kyari and some of his associates in court by September 23.
It would be recalled that the judge, Justice Nwite had adjourned till September 23 for the EFCC to report on further developments.

“Some charges may likely be pressed against him and some of his associates who had earlier been quizzed,” the official said.

In May, EFCC operatives clamped down and arrested sacked managing directors and some top officials of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company.

The officials were arrested over alleged mismanagement of funds earmarked for the rehabilitation of the facilities. The total amount under investigation is $2,956,872,622.36.

The EFCC is probing the sum of $1,559,239,084.36 allocated to the Port Harcourt refinery, $740,669,600 released for the Kaduna refinery, and $656,963,938 approved for the Warri refinery.

The ex-Managing Director of Port Harcourt Refining Company Ltd is Mr Ibrahim Onoja, while Efifia Chu served as the ex-Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd.