The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested an ex-Chief Financial Officer, CFO, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Umar Isa, over an alleged $7.2 billion fraud linked with the rehabilitation of the Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt refineries.
The anti-graft agency also apprehended one Jimoh Olasunkanmi, a former Managing Director of Warri Refinery.
It will be recalled that Isa, as CFO, spearheaded the release of funds for the turnaround maintenance of the three refineries.
DAILY POST gathered that he and all the key officials involved in the maintenance of the refineries and other NNPC key projects are being investigated for alleged abuse of office, corruption, diversion of funds and kickbacks from contractors.
Other officials involved are the Managing Director of the Warri Refinery, Tunde Bakare; a former Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refinery, Ahmed Dikko; and a former Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refinery, Ibrahim Onoja.
At the time of filing this report, EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, could not be reached for his comments.
Recall that the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Aliyu Wadada, last week raised the alarm over discrepancies involving trillions of naira in the audited financial statements of the NNPCL, describing the revelations as mind-boggling and worrisome.
The committee underscored that the concerns stem directly from the analysis of NNPCL’s audited financial statements from 2017 to 2023.
It also immediately handed over a list of 11 queries to NNPCL finance team and gave them one week to return with answers.
