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$3bn refinery fraud: N80bn found in sacked MD’s bank accounts

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the recently sacked managing directors and some top officials of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company.

The officials were arrested over alleged mismanagement of funds earmarked for the rehabilitation of the facilities. The total amount under investigation is $2,956,872,622.36.

Findings showed that the EFCC is probing the sum of $1,559,239,084.36 allocated to the Port Harcourt refinery, $740,669,600 released for the Kaduna refinery, and $656,963,938 approved for the Warri refinery.

The ex-Managing Director of Port Harcourt Refining Company Ltd is Mr Ibrahim Onoja, while Efifia Chu served as the ex-Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd.

This came as impeccable top management sources at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited revealed that N80bn was found in the account of one of the sacked MDs.

Also, operators and experts in the sector lambasted NNPCL for deceiving Nigerians regarding the operations of the refineries, particularly the Port Harcourt and Warri plants, following the poor output from the facilities since their resumption of operations in November and December 2024.

Dashed Hope

NNPCL manages the three refineries for Nigerians. The plants had remained dormant for decades, but the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries resumed operations in November and December 2024, respectively.

However, less than one month after the Warri refinery resumed operations, the plant was again shut down due to safety concerns.

The Port Harcourt refinery, on the other hand, has been operating below 40 per cent of its capacity since its widely celebrated revamp.

On Tuesday, The PUNCH exclusively reported that the new NNPCL management fired the managing directors of the three refineries under its purview.

Some other senior officials of the national oil firm were also asked to leave; among them was Bala Wunti, a former chief of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services, a subsidiary of the NNPCL.

The new management also asked many officials with one year to their various retirement dates to leave.

Source: PUNCH

Crime

BREAKING: Police Rescue Kidnapped Sister of Ex-minister Adelabu and Twin Sons

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Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have successfully rescued Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, alive following a swift late-night operation on Saturday, June 6, 2026.

The rescue took place around 7:30 p.m. as police engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel, neutralising two suspected members of the syndicate and recovering two firearms.

The victims were abducted on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, around 7:30 a.m. while on their way to drop the children at school. Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul is the younger sister of former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.

According to police sources, sustained intelligence tracking and tactical pressure on the kidnappers forced them into a confrontation with security operatives, leading to the successful rescue of all three victims unharmed.

Security forces have launched a manhunt and are currently combing surrounding areas for other fleeing members of the kidnapping gang, some of whom are believed to have sustained gunshot wounds during the exchange of fire.

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FCT Police Foil Midnight Kidnapping, Arrest Viral AK-47 Bandits

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The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has recorded significant successes in its ongoing fight against crime, foiling a midnight kidnapping attempt in Byazhin and arresting several high-profile suspects, including bandits who recently flaunted AK-47 rifles on social media.

Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit stormed a residential area near Paze Hills in Byazhin in the early hours of Thursday and disrupted armed men attempting to break into a building to abduct its occupants. A couple was rescued unharmed during the operation.

The victims expressed relief at the timely intervention by the police.

In a related development, the police arrested three suspected bandits who gained notoriety after appearing in viral social media videos brandishing AK-47 rifles while dressed in military camouflage. The suspects were tracked and apprehended in Runji village, Zuba. Items recovered from them include one AK-47 rifle, eight mobile phones, two jackknives, power banks, and several incriminating photographs and videos.

FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, who paraded the suspects before journalists, vowed continued aggressive action against criminal elements.

The Command also presented a suspect and his girlfriend over the alleged kidnapping and murder of 22-year-old Emmanuel Chukwuemeka. Police investigations revealed that the suspect lured the victim to a mountainous area in Lokogoma over a dispute involving fraudulent proceeds before allegedly killing him.

In another operation, security operatives arrested a wanted suspect linked to the supply of ammunition to bandits, terrorists, and kidnapping gangs operating in the North Central region and the FCT. Arms and ammunition were recovered during the operation.

Additionally, two suspected “one-chance” robbers were arrested after they allegedly attacked a female commuter along the Giri-Lugbe road.

The CP used the occasion to dismiss social media reports of a recent kidnapping at a school in Gbagalape, describing the claims as false and misleading.

Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command has begun strict enforcement against vehicles with unauthorised tinted glasses across the territory.

The breakthroughs come despite the rainy weather as officers continue to intensify patrols and intelligence-led operations to make the nation’s capital safer.

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Crime

BREAKING: Gunmen Invade Ondo Community, Injure Several Residents, Abduct Pastor’s 9-Year-Old Son

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Armed gunmen stormed a community in Ondo State on Friday, shooting indiscriminately, injuring multiple residents, and abducting the 9-year-old son of a local pastor before fleeing into the bush.

Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos as the attackers invaded the area in the early hours, firing sporadically at residents. Several people sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to nearby hospitals for emergency treatment. The motive behind the invasion remains unclear, though sources suggest it may be linked to ongoing security challenges in parts of the state.

The most distressing aspect of the attack was the abduction of the young boy, identified as the son of a prominent pastor in the community. Family members and residents are said to be in shock, with the pastor appealing for the immediate and safe release of his child.

Security operatives have been deployed to the area to track down the gunmen and rescue the abducted child. A manhunt is currently underway, with local vigilantes and police collaborating in the search.

This incident adds to the growing concerns over kidnapping and violent crime in Ondo State and surrounding regions. Community leaders have called on the government to intensify security measures to protect vulnerable residents, especially children.

More updates will follow as the situation develops.

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