Calls for Investigation of Refineries

A group of lawyers and civil society organizations (CSOs) early this morning stormed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters in Abuja with a petition against Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).

The petition alleged that Kyari perpetrated monumental fraud, tax evasion, economic sabotage, and abuse of office during his tenure from July 2019 to February 2025.

According to the Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law led by Asika Raymond, Kyari collaborated with certain consultants and contractors to conceal the actual cost of refineries rehabilitation projects and evade taxes due to the Federal Government.

One notable example cited was the Port Harcourt Refinery, where the group alleged that the NNPCL under Kyari’s leadership expended $1.5 billion, despite initial estimates of $1 billion for the three refineries.

The petitioners questioned the transparency and accountability of the payments made to consultants and contractors handling the refineries’ rehabilitation projects.

The petition also alleged that crude oil allocations were diverted and financial transactions were carried out under the guise of “pipeline security” at a suspicious rate of 80,000 barrels per day, with no transparent process or accountability mechanism.

Additionally, the AKK Gas Pipeline Project, initially valued at $5 billion, was said to be riddled with irregularities in contract awards and execution.

Furthermore, the petitioners raised concerns about fuel subsidy fraud, citing repeated allegations of inflated imports and false claims.

They also questioned the value of NNPCL’s crude-backed loans, which totaled $21.565 billion since 2019, with questionable purposes and outcomes.

The petition added: “There is credible information that crude oil allocations were diverted, and financial transactions were carried out under the guise of ‘pipeline security’ at a suspicious rate of 80,000 barrels per day, with no transparent process or accountability mechanism.

“The AKK Pipeline Project, initially valued at $5 billion has been riddled with irregularities in the award and execution of contracts. Despite several budgetary provisions and foreign financing arrangements, there is little physical progress or transparency in fund utilization.

“There have been repeated allegations of fraud tied to the payment of fuel subsidy. It is instructive to note that while the rest of the world witnessed a decline in fuel consumption in 2020 due to COVID, NNPCL increased its imports of petroleum products during the same period.

“Under Mele Kyari, NNPCL took various crude-backed loans which hit $21.565 billion since 2019. Aside from mortgaging future production, the structure of these loans disadvantaged Nigeria as the upside from trading Nigeria’s crude in the international market was ceded to traders.

“The former GCEO also supervised massive spending on oil exploration activities in the aforementioned states. These explorations, allegedly running into several billions of Naira lack proper documentation, feasibility outcomes, or any demonstrable economic returns. ”

The group urged the EFCC to investigate Kyari, forensically audit all payments made to consultants and contractors from 2019 to 2025, recover misappropriated public funds, and collaborate with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to probe suspected tax evasion.

The EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, received the petition on behalf of the Chairman and promised that the Commission will look into it swiftly.

Northern based civil society groups have raised alarm over plot by a former Governor trying to twist a story credited to the Governor of Kaduna State Senator Uba Sani against politicians that have failed the North since the inception of democracy in 1999. The mischievous story was captioned “Buhari, El-Rufai, others must apologize to North, says Kaduna Governor”.

In a statement jointly signed by Comrade Musa Abdullahi of Northern Resistance Front and Comrade Danjuma Thomas Bahago of the Kaduna Discussion Circle, they declared that a scrawny politician is behind the false story twisted in order to damage the cordial relationship between former President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State.

Part of the statement reads: ” As stakeholders in the political atmosphere of both Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria and the country at large, we view with great concern and extreme disappointment the recent plot by a disgruntled failed politician to put a wedge between the former President and the incumbent Governor of Kaduna State. The twisted story is a clear act of campaign of calumny and distraction against the Governor aimed towards preventing him from delivering his laudable policies in Kaduna state.

“Ordinarily, the organisations will not have waded into the matter but the manner in which the cowardly character is going about his innuendos and underhand mischief. We are therefore constrained to issue the following statement.

For the past few weeks, a disgruntled former Governor has been fingered as the mask behind the sinister campaign, insidious plots and false stories against the goals oriented Uba Sani led administration of Kaduna state.

Most recently, series of false stories and unsubstantiated materials have been disseminated against both the indefatigable Governor Uba Sani and other clearly defined leaders at the federal government level. “We strongly condemn such sinister dissemination being orchestrated by kingpin of tears, sorrow and blood”.

“Equally, very few serious minded democrats can continue to ignore the tantrums being propagated by desperate political element in continuation of his dirty fight against Uba Sani’s principled stand and for his refusal to hand over the public treasury of the state for someone to plunder”.

From all available information, it has become clear that the purveyor of the baseless campaign against Sen Sani is working in cahoots with some forces nursing a dark agenda for both Kaduna state and Nigeria. They are planning to subvert the electoral process to their advantage as we are gradually building up to the 2027 general election.

“A critical survey of the motive, tactics and implementation strategies of the grand mischief has equally laid bare a perfidious plot by a merchant of demolishing and destruction to exploit ethno religious tools among our people in order to cause divisions along our fault lines. The principal character is not happy with relative peace, security, stability and unity being enjoyed by the people of Kaduna state at the moment.

” It is on record that Uba Sani is doing a good job in Kaduna state. He has revoked houses and lands given to cronies and concubines by the old order for overriding public interest and for the common good. He has restituted lands taken from the poor in obnoxious manner back to the victims of one a man misrule. He has reduced school fees and looking at cases of workers sacked arbitrarily and in a dictatorial fashion.

We found it most garmane to state that the scrawny politician trying to distract Uba Sani is of questionable identity. He should endeavour to clear name associated with identity crisis as a matter of priority rather embarking on shameless grandstanding, laughable accusations that are dubious, absurd and devoid of truth.

“We must use this opportunity to state that characters that have converted public tilt for sudden wealth, failed to revive our textiles, failed to pay ex textiles workers their entitlement and failed to account for funds meant for the payment of defunct New Nigerian Newspapers workers cannot rub charcoal on faces and calling a deodorant”.

“Again, we are not surprised that the self masturbating political dinasour and self glorified but pseudo intellectual failed to appreciate the commendable progress made by Governor Sani’s administration to standardise corporate governance, developmental instincts and process achieved in the state”.

“The divisive character engulfed in his delusional capacity is back on his old trade: embarking on hollow criticism of the new order an echo of his rant and rave for self ululation. An inconsistent and erratic personality of unparalleled reckoning”.

“At this juncture, we must state the reason why the Americans consider him to be a barometer through which the pulse of bandits and armed groups in Northern Nigeria can gauged? The statement once credited to him that the killing of Osama bin Laden outside the US soil violated international law and that the global terrorism kingpin’s human rights was violated by America is forever going to hurt him”.

“A self centred pessimist like him has never seen anything good in others. The same way he treated others with profane contempt and disdain, he is trying to replicate such misplaced mischief against bona fide Northern in the present dispensation. He has sown a whirlwind, he shall soon harvest every misdeeds committed against the poor. They have made a covenant to respond to him in his own coins without further delay”.

COMRADE MUSA ABDULLAHI
Chairman
Northern Resistance Front

COMRADE DANJUMA THOMAS BAHAGO
Secretary
Kaduna Discussion Circle

By Israel Bulus, Kaduna

Rev. Fr. Ibrahim Amos, the Catholic priest abducted on April 24, 2024, from his residence at St. Gerald Quasi Parish, Kurmin Risga in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has regained his freedom.

His release was announced on Friday morning in a statement by the Diocese of Kafanchan, signed by its Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Jacob Shanet.

He said: “Fr. Amos was released unharmed, bringing relief to the Catholic community and his family after weeks of uncertainty and emotional distress.

“The outpouring of concern and solidarity from people of goodwill, both online and offline—including members of various faith communities, security agencies, local vigilantes, the Police, and the Department of State Services (DSS)—has been overwhelming,” the statement read.

It added that these efforts demonstrated “that we are not alone in the struggle to respect and promote the dignity of human life.”

The Diocese expressed its gratitude to God and thanked all who offered prayers, support, and solidarity during the priest’s captivity.

“May the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Priests, and all the angels intercede for those still in captivity and lead them back safely to their families and communities,” the statement concluded.

Fr. Amos’ abduction had sparked widespread concern and renewed calls for urgent action to address the growing insecurity in parts of Kaduna State, particularly Southern Kaduna, which continues to experience recurrent incidents of kidnappings and violence.