Over N5 billion and $10 million have been retrieved by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from government officials and contractors implicated in the fraud involving the turnaround maintenance of the country’s refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri.
According to reliable information obtained , the anti-graft agency was attempting to recoup an additional N10 billion and $13 million that were purportedly embezzled through maintenance contractors.
According to information obtained by our correspondent, Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the EFCC, personally oversaw the probe because he was unhappy with the refineries’ failure to operate despite massive public investments in them.
Despite multiple attempts at restoration, Nigeria’s four refineries have remained mostly idle for decades,
The EFCC is reportedly looking into the amount of $1,559,239,084.36 allotted 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 claimed that fraudulent practices, such as over-invoicing, contract inflation, and dubious payments, were largely to blame for the refineries’ failure to operate despite significant public spending over the years.
They said that in relation to the findings, the former management teams of the three refineries were subjected to repeated interrogations.
According to one of the individuals, the commission had finished looking into some Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited personnel who were allegedly involved in the rehabilitation contracts and was getting ready to file charges against them.
“We have made significant findings of widespread fraud from our investigation into the turnaround maintenance of the country’s refineries in Warri, Kaduna, and Port Harcourt,” the source stated.
Investigators found that the refineries’ malfunctions were mostly caused by fraudulent activities involving over-invoicing, contract inflation, and dubious payments.
“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.
