The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied allegations that it abducted or forced Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to resign.
Rumors spread online on Saturday, claiming Ojulari had been interrogated and pressured by EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede and DSS Director-General Adeola Ajayi to step down.
However, a senior EFCC official told Sunday PUNCH the story was false, although the agency did receive a petition from protesters requesting an investigation into Ojulari.
“Those are fake news,” the EFCC official said. “No one was abducted. People brought a petition, and we said we’d look into it.”
A DSS source also dismissed claims of the agency’s involvement, calling them baseless.
Sources within the NNPCL told Sunday PUNCH that Ojulari’s firm, apolitical management style has unsettled some within the Presidency. Since his appointment by President Bola Tinubu in April, Ojulari has reportedly resisted political interference and dismissed several top officials, sparking internal backlash.
Insiders also allege he maintains ties with a notable opposition politician—another factor contributing to the pressure he faces.
The NNPCL has not issued an official statement regarding Ojulari’s rumored resignation, and the company currently lacks a spokesperson following Olufemi Soneye’s recent departure.
Meanwhile, Ojulari appeared before the Senate Public Accounts Committee last Tuesday over queries from audit reports covering 2017 to 2023, involving an unaccounted sum of N210 trillion.
The committee, chaired by Senator Ahmed Wadada (Nasarawa West), clarified that the amount is not considered stolen but requires proper documentation. It consists of N103tn in liabilities and N107tn in assets.
Ojulari, in office for just over 100 days, apologized for missing earlier appearances and requested more time to respond to the 19 audit queries. Though he initially asked for four weeks, the Senate granted three weeks to submit written responses.
“I need to understand the issues deeply before responding. I will engage external auditors and other relevant teams,” Ojulari assured.
Advertisement
