Mele Kyari, former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, is in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.
Kyari was earlier placed on a watch list, over alleged misappropriation associated with the maintenance of Nigeria’s refineries. He was detained while being questioned about funds allegedly set aside for refinery turnaround and maintenance.
EFCC officials confirm that he will be questioned to explain how money was spent on refinery maintenance, as well as to provide a timeline of NNPCL’s operations during his tenure.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had also issued an order freezing four bank accounts belonging to Kyari. The freezing orders are an aspect of an ongoing investigation into alleged fraud with financing operations of the refineries.
President Bola Tinubu had replaced Kyari with Bayo Ojulari some months ago. The replacement occurred after heavy public criticism over the performance and transparency of the operations of the refineries under Kyari.
Kyari’s detention at the EFCC is part of, or related to, broader calls for accountability in the oil sector. In previous statements, Kyari denied any wrongdoing. Earlier, he stated that some media reports were false and that he was willing to correct the situation. He insisted on acting properly and within acceptable levels of conduct, claiming that he would never tell anyone that he was above the rules.
In the mean time, the EFCC has not stated the duration of Kyari’s stay at their location.
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