Sacked former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, has firmly denied widespread rumours claiming he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), describing the reports as “clear mischief” and a “calculated attempt” to damage his reputation.
Speculation about Kyari’s alleged arrest surfaced shortly after news broke of the reported detention of several former managing directors and senior officials of Nigeria’s key state-owned refineries. Those affected reportedly include Ibrahim Onoja, former MD of Port Harcourt Refining Company, and Efifia Chu of Warri Refinery. They were allegedly taken into custody over accusations surrounding the mismanagement of $2.96 billion allocated for refinery rehabilitation and turnaround maintenance projects.
In response, Kyari took to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday night to clarify that he has neither been arrested nor invited by the EFCC. According to him, he is currently on a “well-deserved rest” following the recent dissolution of the NNPCL board and management by the Federal Government.
“I have been inundated with calls from concerned family and friends over claims by an online newspaper that I was in EFCC custody. This is clear mischief and a calculated attempt… to achieve a desired outcome, which only them know,” Kyari stated.
Reflecting on his career, Kyari noted that he served the NNPCL for 34 years, 17 of which were in management roles, and almost six as the head of the organisation. He maintained that he performed his duties with transparency, respect for institutional accountability, and reverence for divine judgment.
“I must emphasise that I served with the fear of God… I am happy to account for my stewardship in this world,” he added.
Kyari also warned that such misinformation could damage national interest and investor confidence, urging the media to exercise restraint and responsibility in reporting.
“The resort to disinformation does not serve anyone’s purpose… as it has the potential to send the wrong signals to investors and the international community,” he said.
He reassured the public of his readiness to respond to any lawful inquiries into his time at the helm of the NNPCL and expressed gratitude to those who reached out with concern.
