The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained Mele Kyari, former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), over allegations of financial misappropriation.
Kyari was taken into custody at the commission’s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, on Wednesday afternoon, where he is being interrogated in connection with billions of naira allegedly diverted from funds earmarked for Nigeria’s refinery maintenance.
The former NNPCL boss was said to have voluntarily submitted himself to EFCC.
According to EFCC sources, the former NNPCL boss arrived at the agency’s office around 2:15 p.m. following an official summons.
Investigators are questioning him over financial and technical transactions linked to the $7.2 billion refinery turnaround maintenance programme.
“Kyari is in our office. He’s currently being interrogated by our investigators,” an EFCC source confirmed on Wednesday night.
The detention comes weeks after Kyari was placed on the EFCC’s watchlist amid mounting allegations of fraud during his tenure at the national oil company.
Sources within the commission told Thefrontrank that the misappropriated funds run into billions of Naira.
The Federal High Court in Abuja recently ordered the freezing of four bank accounts allegedly linked to Kyari, pending further investigations.
