To prevent contractors and former officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) fingered in the ongoing fraud probe from evading accountability, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), at the weekend, ramped up surveillance on them.
To this end, immigration officials are on red alert to ensure those accused of plotting to flee the country do not succeed.
A source familiar with the matter but not authorised to speak told Daily that the NIS has joined the lead investigating agency-Economic Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) as part of a broader strategy aimed at bringing all the culprits to account.
“The NIS has flagged the passports of some names that featured prominently in these allegations. While some are currently being interrogated by the EFCC, others names are also coming up. So the EFCC,Police and NIS are actively collaborating to ensure that no principal actor escapes justice.
Once a passport is flagged, the information of such a person is made available across all airports and land borders in the country, thereby making it very difficult for the person to flee the country through formal travel arrangements,”
The source added that apart from some ex-NNPC officials under scrutiny, some serving NNPC officials and contractors are also under watch.
He added that the allegations of fraud in relation to the Port Harcourt and other refineries located in Kaduna and Warri was a huge embarrassment to the President and has given a marching order to the security agencies that no stone must be left unturned in uncovering that behind the act.
“There are some contractors and sub-contractors that got paid for jobs not done in the refinery rehabilitation while some got monies delivered the jobs half way and absconded. All these set of people are being targeted in this latest onslaught.
As part of wider investigations, the EFCC at the weekend arrested the 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.
A document dated April 28, 2025, and titled, ‘Investigation Activities: Request for Information’, indicated that the probe by EFCC included the immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer of the national oil firm, Mele Kyari.
The EFCC document was addressed to the Group Managing Director (Group Chief Executive Officer) of the national oil company and contained the names of 13 other former senior executives of the NNPCL.
“The commission is investigating a case of abuse of office and misappropriation of funds in which the underlisted officials of your organisation featured,” the document stated.
It outlined the officials to include Abubakar Yar’Adua, Mele Kyari, Isiaka Abdulrazak, Umar Ajiya, Dikko Ahmed, Ibrahim Onoja, Ademoye Jelili, and Mustapha Sugungun.
Others are Kayode Adetokunbo, Efiok Akpan, Babatunde Bakare, Jimoh Olasunkanmi, Bello Kankaya and Desmond Inyama.
“In view of the above, you are kindly requested to furnish certified true copies of their emoluments and allowances, including that of those who have retired and no longer work with your organisation,” the anti-graft commission told the NNPCL boss.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had in 2021 approved $1.5 billion of spending on the modernisation of the Port Harcourt oil refinery and awarded a contract to Italy’s Tecnimont.
The project was scheduled to be completed in three phases, the first within 18 months taking the refinery to 90 per cent production capacity, with the second and final phases carried out within 24 months and 44 months respectively.
However, the project suffered several delays, leaving the NNPC with several missed deadlines up until December 2023, when it announced what is described as mechanical completion of the refinery.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the rehabilitation project, which also coincided with the 15th Refineries’ Rehabilitation Steering Committee Meeting, the former Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd., Mr. Mele Kyari, said as of December 15th, 2023, 84.4 per cent of Area 5 Plant, a key component of the Refinery, and 77.4 per cent of the entire rehabilitation project have been completed.
On November 26, 2024, NNPC claimed it has delivered the 60,000 barrels per day old Port Harcourt refinery with commencement of truck out.
But, by January 2025, activities at the refinery returned to a lull as community leaders within the host community claimed that the refinery was never operational.(Daily Sun)
