The previous Group Chief Government Officer of the Nigerian Nationwide Petroleum Firm (NNPC) Restricted, Mele Kyari, is beneath interrogation on the headquarters of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) in Abuja.
An EFCC insider, who’s aware of the case however craved annonimity to debate the delicate case, confirmed the event, earlier reported by Daily Trust, to our reporter Wednesday night.
The supply stated through a telephone name that Mr Kyari, who had earlier been positioned on a watchlist, arrived on the fee’s workplace for questioning round 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale didn’t reply to our reporter’s calls looking for his feedback on Wednesday night.
Whereas the precise points Mr Mele was questioned for on Wednesday are unclear, public disclosures on the instances agaisnt him has included suspicious use of funds earmarked for the upkeep of refineries throughout his tenure on the NNPC. Different former officers of the state-owned oil firm have additionally confronted comparable allegations.
PREMIUM TIMES has but to verify if Mr Mele was launched after dealing with questions from EFCC detectives on Wednesday.
Courtroom-ordered account freeze
Wednesday’s interrogation got here lower than a month after the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja ordered the short-term freezing of 4 Jaiz Financial institution accounts linked to Mr Kyari over allegations of conspiracy, abuse of workplace and cash laundering.
The decide, Emeka Nwite issued the order in August after EFCC lawyer Ogechi Ujam moved an ex parte utility.
The company informed the court docket the accounts had been beneath investigation for suspicious transactions.
The EFCC, in its submitting marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1641/2025 seking the order, alleged that the accounts had been managed by Mr Kyari and tied to offences of conspiracy, abuse of workplace, and cash laundering.
Additionally, preliminary findings reportedly traced N661.4 million, suspected to be proceeds of illegal exercise, to the accounts.
In keeping with an affidavit by EFCC investigator Amin Abdullahi, the probe adopted a petition from a civic group, Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Legislation, filed on 24 April.
He stated suspicious inflows from NNPCL and oil firms had been disguised as donations for a ebook launch and funding for a non-governmental organisation, with the accounts allegedly managed by way of Mr Kyari’s family performing as fronts.
Wider EFCC probe
The investigation into Mr Kyari varieties a part of a broader EFCC probe into the administration of refinery rehabilitation funds. Not less than 14 present and former NNPCL officers, together with two different ex-CEOs, are beneath scrutiny.
The fee has demanded emolument data of these officers, with over N80 billion reportedly traced to the private accounts of a former refinery managing director.
Mr Oyewale had confirmed the continued probe, saying it includes “funds launched for the rehabilitation of the Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt refineries.”
President Bola Tinubu has since appointed Bashir Ojulari as NNPCL Group CEO and Ahmadu Kida as non-executive chairman, directing them to revive investor confidence and enhance operational effectivity.
Kyari’s response
Mr Kyari, who led NNPCL till April when President Bola Tinubu dissolved the board and administration, has denied wrongdoing.
In Might, he dismissed experiences of his arrest over the alleged diversion of $2.9 billion for refinery rehabilitation as “clear mischief” geared toward damaging his repute.
“I need to emphasise that I served with the worry of God, figuring out totally nicely that if I don’t account earlier than man, I’ll account earlier than Allah,” the 60-year-old stated in a press release on his X deal with.
