Alleged Fraud: Court Gives NNPCL GCEO 14 Days to Respond
The Federal High Court in Abuja has reportedly given the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, 14 days to respond to allegations of fraud brought against him.
According to a report by Daily Trust, the court issued the directive following a suit seeking to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the NNPCL boss over alleged financial impropriety.
The development comes amidst intensifying scrutiny on the activities of the state-owned oil firm. Recall that the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, had earlier granted an ex parte motion filed by the EFCC to temporarily freeze four bank accounts linked to Kyari.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the accounts, domiciled in Jaiz Bank, were used to warehouse over N661 million, suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
In an affidavit deposed to by an EFCC investigator, the commission claimed that preliminary investigations revealed the accounts were connected to Kyari and were being managed through proxies and family members.
The funds were allegedly disguised as payments for a book launch and activities of a non-governmental organization.
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has also been probing the NNPCL over alleged discrepancies involving trillions of naira in its audited financial statements, further compounding the pressure on the GCEO.
Kyari has previously denied any wrongdoing, stating in May that he served with the “fear of God” and is ready to account for his stewardship.
The court’s latest directive for him to respond within 14 days marks a significant step in the ongoing legal and legislative inquiries into the management of Nigeria’s oil resources.
