EFCC puts Mele Kyari on watch list

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has placed a former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, on its watchlist over the ongoing probe into the $7.2 billion refineries’ turnaround maintenance.

This is even as the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday directed a temporary freezing of four bank accounts linked to him over allegations of fraud.

Several sources at the EFCC confided in Business Hallmark that investigations into the activities of the NNPCL during the period Kyari was in the saddle had reached an advanced stage last month after his close associates were arrested.

Recall that Kyari’s associates had been quizzed on how some funds earmarked for the maintenance of the country’s refineries were managed.

It was learnt that documents and other necessary information had since been obtained by the crack detectives investigating how the fund meant for the refineries’ turn-around maintenance was used.

A highly placed official of the EFCC, who asked not to be mentioned, informed this medium that the commission would soon invite Kyari for interrogation.

“I can assure you that we have even gone far with his (Kyari’s) investigation. Don’t forget that in criminal investigations, territorial integrity and territorial boundaries of countries have no effect on criminal investigations.

“This is because the anti-corruption agencies operate at the transnational level, whether somebody leaves the country or not, it has nothing to do with our investigations, because whenever we need him, we will get him, and he’s already on our watch list,” the official said.

Another EFCC source, revealed: “We’re investigating him (Mele Kyari) and our investigation has reached an advanced stage. How is it possible that we will not investigate him? When those around him are already being investigated!

“The fact that the commission is not talking about him is for us to be able to get some critical information. We are discreet about it because there are so many officials that are involved.

“It is deliberate that we are not talking about him. It is to assist us in our investigations and to ensure that we get the right report that we need.”

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had, in April, in a sweeping reconstitution of the NNPCL board, removed the chairman, Pius Akinyelure and the Group Chief Executive Officer, Kyari.

The GCEO was consequently replaced by Bashir Ojulari as the new CEO, effective from April 2, 2025.

Few months after Kyari’s sack, the anti-graft agency crack downed on top former officials of the oil firm including the Managing Director of the three refineries in its bid to investigate where the funds were expended amid refineries’ failure to function.

Justice Emeka Nwite on Tuesday issued an order while ruling on an ex parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1641, which was brought by the EFCC and was argued by its lawyer, Ogechi Ujam, that the accounts be frozen.

Although the EFCC lawyer had urged the court to freeze the account for 60 days to enable it to conclude the ongoing investigation, Justice Nwite limited the tenure of the order to 30 days, which he said could be renewed if necessary.

Ujam had told the court that the temporary freezing order was necessary because the accounts were currently being investigated in a case involving the offences of conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering pending the conclusion of the investigation.