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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

Police rescue baby buried alive in Kebbi, arrest 20-year-old mother

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The Kebbi State Police Command has said it exhumed a baby buried alive in Kebbi State.

Public Relations Officer, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, in a statement, said a farmer, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, while working on his farm near the area, discovered a patch of disturbed soil resembling a fresh grave.

“He raised an alarm and, with the help of nearby residents, exhumed the baby, who was found alive.

The infant was rushed to General Hospital, Kamba, where doctors confirmed her condition as stable after receiving medical attention.”

The statement further added that, following investigation, the police promptly arrested a 20-year-old mother, Maryam Atiku, for allegedly attempting to kill her newborn baby girl by burying her alive in Kamba, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

It said the incident occurred on June 25, 2025, when Maryam allegedly tied the baby’s neck with wrappers, covered her mouth, and buried her in a shallow grave at Malam Yaro bush.

Commissioner of Police Bello Sani described the act as “inhuman and unacceptable,” reiterating the command’s zero tolerance for child abuse, exploitation, and gender-based violence.

He urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to protect children under their care and not compromise their future due to poverty or other pressures, even as he commended the wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Hajiya Zainab Nasir Idris, for supporting the welfare of the rescued baby and praised Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad for his timely intervention.

“The suspect will be arraigned in court, where she will face prosecution aimed at serving as a deterrent to others,” the statement further said.

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Business

Aviation Fraud: NCAA Calls for EFCC Intervention

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The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to escalate its fight against fraud and economic crimes plaguing the aviation industry.

NCAA Director General, Captain Chris Najomo, made the appeal during a courtesy visit to EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, at the commission’s Abuja headquarters on Tuesday, according to a statement released on the EFCC’s official X handle.

Najomo highlighted how fraudulent activities are severely undermining safety oversight and operational transparency within the sector. He specifically pointed to high-value transactions like aircraft purchases, leasing arrangements, foreign maintenance contracts, and safety infrastructure procurement as areas particularly vulnerable to abuse.

“Non-remittance weakens the NCAA’s ability to fund safety oversight and operational efficiency, and may require EFCC’s intervention to investigate cases where deliberate withholding, diversion, or misappropriation of these funds is suspected,” Najomo stated.

He further alleged that some aviation operators deliberately under-report revenues, manipulate ticketing systems, or divert funds, actions that cripple the NCAA’s regulatory capacity.

Najomo also raised concerns about illegal charter operations disguised as private flights, which involve unregulated financial flows, emphasizing the critical need for the EFCC’s financial intelligence expertise to uncover such practices.

To address these challenges, Najomo proposed collaborative initiatives, including training NCAA personnel to identify financial red flags, organizing joint sensitization workshops, and establishing robust intelligence-sharing mechanisms to enhance regulatory oversight.

Responding, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede welcomed the partnership and announced that senior EFCC officers would collaborate with the NCAA to finalize a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The agreement will focus on joint investigations, intelligence exchange, and compliance monitoring. “With the kind of work you do, when people see us beside you, they will take you seriously. Aviation is an area where we have seen money laundering, particularly through chartered services.

That is why we have been reaching out to you, and we will continue until we achieve the desired results,” Olukoyede affirmed.

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Crime

60-year-old man arrested for raping Lagos lady

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The Lagos State Police Command, Gender Unit, has arrested a 60-year-old man, Ajayi Femi, for allegedly raping a 24-year-old lady.

The command disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

The spokesperson for the command, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that the investigation revealed that the suspect allegedly spiked the survivor’s drink, rendering her unconscious, before having unlawful sexual intercourse with her.

The incident took place on August 22, 2025, and was reported by the victim’s sister to the police at the Meiran Police Station before being transferred to the Gender Unit of the command for further investigation.

“Medical examinations conducted by the Gender Unit corroborated the survivor’s account, while the suspect reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation,” the statement read.

The command revealed that the suspect confessed to the crime during interrogation and has since been remanded in prison custody until the next adjourned date.

It added, “The command remains committed to ensuring justice for survivors of sexual offences.”

This case comes weeks after operatives of the command arrested a 45-year-old man in Ikotun for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl.

The incident, which attracted widespread outrage, reignited calls from rights activists for stiffer penalties against sex offenders.

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