EFCC grills ex-NNPCL CFO Umar Isa over alleged $7.2 Billion fraud

Umar Isa Ajiya, a former Chief Financial Officer of NNPC Limited, has been taken into custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged $7.2 billion fraud scandal.

According to sources within the anti-corruption agency, Ajiya is being held for his suspected role in the disbursement and mismanagement of funds earmarked for the turnaround maintenance of the nation’s three major refineries in Kaduna, Warri, and Port Harcourt.

The EFCC is investigating a total of $2,956,872,622.36 disbursed for these rehabilitation projects. The breakdown shows $1.55 billion allocated for Port Harcourt Refinery, $740.6 million for Kaduna Refinery, and $656.9 million for Warri Refinery.

A senior official at the EFCC, who spoke anonymously, confirmed Ajiya’s arrest, revealing that several other current and former NNPC Limited officials are also under probe for alleged corruption, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, and receiving illegal payments from contractors involved in the refinery projects.

“Our operatives have arrested a former Chief Financial Officer of the NNPCL, Umar Isa Ajiya, in connection with an alleged $7.2 billion fraud concerning the rehabilitation of the Kaduna, Warri, and Port Harcourt refineries,” the source disclosed.

The official further noted that other high-ranking individuals under investigation include Tunde Bakare, Managing Director of the Warri Refinery; Ahmed Adamu Dikko and Ibrahim Monday Onoja, both former Managing Directors of the Port Harcourt Refinery.

In a related move, another EFCC insider confirmed the detention of former Warri Refinery Managing Director, Jimoh Olasunkanmi, who is also currently being held.

“Yes, it is true. We have arrested Ajiya. We also have in our custody the former MD of Warri Refinery, Jimoh Olasunkanmi,” the source confirmed.

As of the time of this report, attempts to obtain an official statement from EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale had not been successful.