EXCLUSIVE: Amid Probe, Corruption Allegations, Nigeria’s Petroleum Company, NNPC CEO, Mele Kyari, CFO, Ajiya Jet Off To Saudi Arabia To Lobby Buhari
In step with a source, the NNPCL top officials made the switch over the phobia of being retired compulsorily by the incoming govt of Bola Tinubu.
The Nigerian Nationwide Petroleum Company (NNPC) Restricted Chief Govt Officer, Mele Kyari and Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya hang jetted out to Saudi Arabia in a characterize to fulfill President Muhammadu Buhari, SaharaReporters has gathered.
This comes amid a probe of NNPCL by the lawmakers and corruption allegations in opposition to the duo.
SaharaReporters gathered that both Kyari and Ajiya arrived at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Global Airport in Medina on Wednesday in a non-public jet marked M-ALEN. It later left for King Abdulaziz Global Airport in Jeddah, also in Saudi Arabia about a hours after.
The non-public jet is owned by businessman and boss of Sahara Energy, Tope Shonubi.
In step with extra than one sources, even though, the tip NNPC officials flew out of Nigeria in the guise of performing lesser hajj (Umrah), they are in the Islamic country to ‘foyer’ an appointment with President Buhari.
The President on Tuesday travelled to Saudi Arabia on an reliable scoot to.
Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesperson had acknowledged the time out which would possibly maybe maybe maybe final for eight days is Buhari’s final scoot to to the dominion as president.
“Amid the $2.4 billion stolen crude oil scam by the Dwelling of Representatives, N20 billion Naira consultancy rate scam uncovered by SaharaReporters, multi-billion-naira gratuity rate scam and extra than one petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Fee, Unbiased Corrupt Practices And Other Connected Offences Fee, Kyari and Ajiya hang jetted off to Saudi Arabia to foyer President Buhari.
‘They also opinion to fulfill with the ‘President-elect’, Bola Tinubu nonetheless I doubt if Tinubu would be coming to Saudi Arabia,” a source informed SaharaReporters.
“They left in disguise to invent lesser hajj (Umrah). They both flew out of the country on the 12th of April on a non-public jet Embraer Legacy 650 Jet with registration number M-ALEN owned by Tope Shonubi, the Managing Director of Sahara Energy Restricted.
“We, NNPC workers members, are demoralised and annoyed by the formulation Kyari and Ajiya are working the company.”
SaharaReporters had completely reported how Kyari and Ajiya paid themselves billions of naira as gratuities.
In step with a source, the NNPCL top officials made the switch over the phobia of being retired compulsorily by the incoming govt of Bola Tinubu.
Sequel to his ‘victory’ in the February 25 presidential poll, Tinubu would be sworn in as president on Might maybe well maybe 29, 2023, to be triumphant President Muhammadu Buhari who’s ending his 2nd timeframe somewhat than commercial.
“Isn’t this corruption? Our Team Chief Govt Officer, Mele Kyari and the Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya paid themselves gratuity working into billions of naira while soundless in active provider which is in opposition to the final public provider rules,” the source had acknowledged.
“With the petroleum industry act that was passed by the Nationwide Assembly, NNPC transited into a restricted authorized responsibility company with portion capital for added transparency and accountability and to be a earnings-driven organization. However sadly, below Kyari and Ajiya, the reverse is the case.
“The phobia that they’d maybe maybe very wisely be sacked or asked to scoot on retirement with out be aware made these two individuals to pay themselves humongous gratuity while soundless in active provider. They’re both working NNPC as their non-public company because nobody is checkmating the both of them.”
The source added that the PIA Act gives the Team CEO and CFO huge powers with out recourse to the President since there would possibly be a constituted board of NNPC.
Nonetheless, the board is acknowledged to lack the facility to oversee NNPC administrative duties.
“The PIA Act has created a lacuna by giving the crew CEO and CFO huge powers to toddle the organisation with out recourse to the President. Same Umar Ajiya retired from NLNG sooner than becoming a member of NNPC, bet what? He was paid gratuity in NLNG and now he has paid himself one other gratuity which is in opposition to the final public provider legislation while soundless in active provider with the corporation,” a source had acknowledged.
Garba Deen Muhammad, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL in an announcement confirmed the cost of gratuities to the duo.
He, nonetheless, acknowledged they had been paid for their services to “NNPC and never NNPCL.”
Recently, the Dwelling of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Oil Theft announced its opinion to evaluate the alleged lack of over $2.4 billion in earnings from the unlawful sale of forty eight million barrels of crude oil export.
The committee therefore summoned the finance minister, Zainab Ahmed; Secretary Customary of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Accountant Customary of the Federation, Sylva Okolieaboh; and representatives of the NNPCL, among others.
SaharaReporters reported in December 2022 that Nigeria’s decrease legislative chamber constituted an advert hoc committee to evaluate a whistle-blower’s allegation of the unlawful sale of forty eight million barrels of Nigeria’s Bonny Gentle crude in China in 2015 and the insurance situation of the cargo.
It was also tasked to evaluate all crude oil exports and gross sales by Nigeria from 2014 up to now, when it comes to quantity, insurance, earnings generated, remittances into the federation memoir or other accounts to boot to utilisation of the earnings for the interval below evaluate.
The committee is to anecdote abet inside four weeks for extra legislative action.
These resolutions adopted the unanimous adoption of a race moved by a member of the Dwelling, Ibrahim Isiaka, titled, “Alleged Loss of over $2.4 Billion in Earnings from Unlawful Sale of forty eight Million Barrels of Coarse Oil Export in 2015, At the side of Coarse Oil Exports from 2014 till Date.”
A anecdote by the Nigerian Senate currently published that the NNPC did now not memoir for the shipping of crude oil amounting to N102 billion to Warri and Kaduna refineries.
SaharaReporters on April 2, 2023, reported how the Ogun Verbalize govt also dragged NNPC to court over unpaid tax liabilities working into N9 billion.
There were also allegations of outright theft by the workers of the defunct Petroleum Merchandise Marketing Company (PPMC), who allegedly paid a entire sum of N1 billion to its advisor, Messres Safaya, as phase of the cash she helped them to place on the tax refund demands by the Ogun Verbalize govt.
Following the transition of the PPMC, there would possibly be the NNPC retail which is for filling place home owners and retailers and NNPC trucking, which is for vessels tank farms and others.
Nonetheless, the enlighten govt smartly-known that it was stunned that nothing was paid to it, nonetheless NNPC paid itself to the tune of over one billion naira.
It was alleged that Messres Safaya was paid over N1 billion as 10 per cent consultancy rate nonetheless no anecdote reveals that the Ogun enlighten govt was paid a dime.
A workers member of the corporation who was now not jubilant with the alleged fraud that was committed by the defunct workers members of the corporation cited instances of issue theft by the workers of the defunct PPMC. The workers member alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Fee was turning a blind peek to the “massive fraud occurring in NNPC because rather loads of the major actors alive to are their individuals”.
The source alleged that rather loads of the funds to the consultants had been being shared by the administration of the defunct PPMC.
He challenged the EFCC officials to evaluate at the accounts of the consultants hired by the administration of the PPMC and come upon how the cash was disbursed.
On how much he opinion was paid to consultants from his place of industrial, he acknowledged he would possibly maybe maybe say categorically that over N20 billion was stolen below the pretext of paying ghost consultants they hired.
Nonetheless, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC denied the fraud allegations, asserting the company did now not hang or take care of ghost consultants.
He added that the “potential of partaking consultants every time the need arises is clear and verifiable and follows global easiest practices”.
