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Refinery Fraud: EFCC Recovers Billions As Ex-NNPCL Officials Face Prosecution

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It was gathered that the anti-graft agency was working to recover another N10bn and $13m allegedly siphoned through contractors engaged in the maintenance.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered more than N5 billion and $10 million from contractors and government officials linked to fraud in the turnaround maintenance of Nigeria’s refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri.

Sunday PUNCH reports that the anti-graft agency was working to recover another N10bn and $13m allegedly siphoned through contractors engaged in the maintenance.

According to PUNCH Metro, it was learnt that the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, took personal charge of the investigation owing to his displeasure with the non-functional refineries in spite of humongous public spendings on them.

Sunday PUNCH reports that Nigeria’s four refineries have been largely dormant for decades despite several attempts at rehabilitation.

Successive administrations have budgeted billions of dollars for their turnaround maintenance, but the facilities in Warri, Kaduna, and Port Harcourt have continued to underperform, forcing the country to rely heavily on imported petroleum products.

The EFCC is said to be probing the sum of $1,559,239,084.36 allocated to the Port Harcourt refinery, $740,669,600 released for the Kaduna refinery, and $656,963,938 approved for the Warri refinery.

Top sources at the anti-graft agency revealed that fraudulent practices, including over-invoicing, contract inflation, and questionable payments, were largely responsible for the inability of the refineries to function despite huge public spending over the years.

They disclosed that former management teams of the three refineries were repeatedly interrogated in connection with the discoveries.

One of the sources said the commission had concluded investigations into some officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited allegedly involved in the rehabilitation contracts and was preparing charges against them.

The source said, “Our investigation into the turnaround maintenance of the nation’s refineries in Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt, have yielded major discoveries of large- scale fraud.

“Investigators discovered fraudulent dealings through over-invoicing, contract inflation and questionable payments were largely responsible for the malfunctioning of the refineries.

“Specifically, investigations flagged former management teams of the three refineries who were arrested several times and grilled to uncover fraudulent dealings that have not made the refineries deliver optimal benefits to Nigerians.

“A total sum of $10m and N5bn have so far been recovered from suspects indicted in the fraud. The recoveries were made from some contractors and government officials involved in over-invoicing and inflated payments.”

The source added that some serving and retired members of the management of the NNPCL and the refineries might be charged soon.

“Investigations are already concluded on some officials of the NNPCL involved in the rehabilitation contracts and the commission is ready to file charges against them.

“Both former management and present management of the NNPCL and refineries may be charged,” the source said.

Another source noted that the commission was on track to recover additional sums.

“While we have recovered some money, another $13m and N10bn discovered to be siphoned through contractors engaged in the maintenance are due to be recovered,” the source disclosed.

The source also said the commission was probing fresh allegations of contract inflation worth about $40m, allegedly involving NNPCL officials and some contractors engaged to procure equipment for the rehabilitation projects.

“Investigation is still ongoing on allegations of contract inflation in the region of $40million involving some officials of NNPCL and some contractors engaged to procure equipment for rehabilitation works, “ the source said.

The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, could not be reached for comments as of press time as calls and text messages were not replied.

A senior official of the commission, who does not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, however, confirmed the recovery.

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Crime

PHOTOS: 14 children ‘trafficked from Adamawa and sold for N800,000 each in Anambra’ are rescued

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August 21, 2025

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14 children trafficked from Adamawa State and sold in Anambra State for amounts ranging from N800,000 to N1.7 million have been rescued by Adamawa State Government.

On Wednesday, August 20, the Adamawa State government reunited the rescued children with their parents at a ceremony in Yola, the Adamawa state capital.

Speaking during the ceremony, Kaletapwa George Farauta, Adamawa deputy governor, said after numerous reports of missing children in July, the government set up a joint operation with security agencies to unravel the situation.

Farauta said the operation led to the arrest of one Ngozi Abdulwahab, a suspected trafficking kingpin, who operates a small provision shop in Jambutu Ward, Yola north LGA.

The deputy governor said the suspect reportedly used snacks and gifts to lure children between the ages of 4-9 before trafficking them to Anambra.

14 children ?trafficked from Adamawa and sold for N800,000 each in Anambra? are rescued

“It is a mixed feeling of sadness and joy, it is sad that today, Adamawa is on the map of an unfortunate monster ravaging the nation, the monster of child trafficking,” she said.

“This is a story we often hear happening far away, but unfortunately, it has caught up with us.

“This notorious trafficker has perfected the art of trafficking minors aged four to nine years from various communities in Adamawa to the south-eastern region of Nigeria.

“There, she sold the victims for paltry sums ranging from N800,000 to N1.7 million per child.

“She operated from a small provision shop which she owned at Jambutu ward, Yola-North LGA, where she used snacks and gifts to lure unsuspecting children.

“Today, we have rescued 14 children and rehabilitated them.”

The deputy governor said the suspects would be prosecuted under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015, Adamawa Child Protection Law (2008), the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2021, and the Penal Code of the state.

She added that the family of each rescued child would receive N100,000, food, and non-food items.

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Crime

PHOTOS: Nigeria deports 51 foreigners jailed for cyberterrorism and internet fraud

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7 hours ago

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August 21, 2025

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The Nigerian Immigration Service on Thursday, August 21, deported 50 additional foreign nationals convicted and sentenced for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud by the Federal High Court in Lagos.

The convicted foreigners were part of the 192 Chinese and Philippine nationals arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2024.

The repatriated foreign nationals include 50 Chinese and one Tunisian. This brings the total of deported convicts to 102 in the ongoing exercise that commenced on Friday, August 15, 2025.

The anti-graft agency had claimed that before the raid, the cybercrime syndicate had a large-scale operation involving cyber fraud and Ponzi schemes.

The charges against the convicts included using false identities online to defraud victims, training Genting International Co. Limited employees in fraudulent practices, and other offences under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006.

The anti-graft agency had stated that these charges reflect serious crimes aimed at undermining Nigeria’s security and financial integrity through cybercrime and fraud.

EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede has described the convictions and deportations as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s fight against cybercrime and financial fraud.

He reiterated the Commission’s commitment to intensifying investigations, recovering looted funds, and restoring national dignity in line with President Bola Tinubu’s anti-corruption agenda.

See more photos of the ex-convicts being deported below

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Crime

20 trafficked Ghanaians found in Akwa Ibom

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21 hours ago

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August 21, 2025

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Twenty Ghanaian nationals suspected to be victims of human trafficking have been rescued from a compound in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The victims, comprising 10 men and 10 women, were freed during a joint operation by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, the Ghana Police Service, and INTERPOL.

Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, August 20, said the raid followed a formal request for assistance from Ghanaian authorities. “On August 18, 2025, operatives of the Command successfully rescued 20 Ghanaians trafficked to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State,” she said.

Acting on credible intelligence, security operatives stormed a fenced building located in Obio Etoi, Uyo Local Government Area, at about 4:17 p.m. on Monday, August 18. “The raid led to the rescue of 10 males and 10 females (names withheld), all confirmed to be Ghanaian nationals. The victims presently appear disoriented and have been unable to provide useful information, leading investigators to suspect they may have been hypnotised,” the statement read.

DSP John added that investigation is ongoing and assured that further updates will be made public in due course.

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