Former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, has been released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after hours of questioning at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Kyari was invited on Wednesday over alleged financial misconduct tied to a controversial ₦11.16 trillion ($7.2 billion) refinery turnaround maintenance programme. Despite several allocations, Nigeria’s refineries remain inactive.
A source told SaharaReporters that the former NNPCL boss was allowed to return home on Wednesday night while investigations continue.
The development comes weeks after the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the temporary freezing of four bank accounts linked to Kyari, following an ex parte motion by the EFCC. Justice Emeka Nwite, who granted the order on August 19, adjourned the matter to September 23 for further reports.
Kyari, who served as GMD of the NNPC from 2019 until his replacement in July 2024, spearheaded reforms including the company’s transition into a limited liability entity.
