By John Moses
Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arrested a former Chief Financial Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Umar Isa, over an alleged $7.2 billion corruption scandal related to the country’s ailing refineries.
Isa, who previously oversaw financial disbursements for refinery rehabilitation projects, is being investigated in connection with the controversial turnaround maintenance of the Kaduna, Warri, and Port Harcourt refineries.
Sources within the EFCC confirmed that Isa authorised the release of substantial funds earmarked for the refurbishment of the refineries, which remain largely non-functional despite the huge expenditure.
Investigations have reportedly widened to include several senior figures previously involved in major NNPCL operations. Among them are Tunde Bakare, Managing Director of the Warri Refinery; Ahmed Dikko and Ibrahim Onoja, both former heads of the Port Harcourt Refinery; and Jimoh Olasunkanmi, another former Managing Director of the Warri Refinery.
The officials are accused of a range of offences including diversion of public funds, abuse of office, and receipt of illicit payments from contractors.
The EFCC has not yet issued an official statement regarding the arrests. Repeated attempts to reach the commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, were unsuccessful.
The scandal casts fresh scrutiny on Nigeria’s long-troubled oil sector, particularly the billions spent on refinery upgrades with little to no operational results. The country still imports most of its refined petroleum products despite holding one of Africa’s largest crude reserves.
