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SERAP drags NNPCL court over alleged missing $2.04bn, N164bn oil revenues
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited over the “failure to account for and explain the whereabouts of the alleged missing $2.04 billion and N164 billion oil revenues.”
This, according to SERAP, followed the allegations documented in the recently published 2020 audited report by the Auditor-General of the Federation that the NNPC; failed to remit the money into the Federation Account, saying that the money may have been diverted.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Deputy Director of SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/549/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel the NNPC to account for and explain the whereabouts of the missing USD$2.04 billion and N164 billion oil revenues, as documented in a report by the Auditor-General.”
In the statement, SERAP urged the NNPCL to “hand over suspected perpetrators to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and prosecution,” and “ensure the full recovery and remittance” of the missing funds into the Federation Account.
The organisation noted that the failure to account for the missing oil revenues reflects the nation’s oil giant’s “continuing failure to uphold the principles of transparency and accountability,” adding that it’s a “grave violation of the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended],” among others.
SERAP condemned the missing oil revenues, lamenting that “had the NNPCL and its subsidiaries accounted for and remitted the disappeared public funds into the Federation Account, it is likely that more funds would have been allocated to the fulfillment of economic and social rights of Nigerians, such as increased spending on public goods and services.
The missing oil revenues have also impeded Nigerians’ ability to enjoy their economic and social rights, and denied them access to essential public goods and services, especially at the time of cost of living crisis in the country.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that “there is a legitimate public interest in providing the details sought. The NNPC has a legal responsibility to account for and explain the whereabouts of the disappeared money.
“Without the full recovery and remittance of the missing USD$2.04 billion and N164 billion oil revenues, the dire economic situation may worsen and Nigerians will continue to be denied access to basic public goods and services.”
According to SERAP, the Auditor-General of the Federation “has, for many years, documented reports of the disappearance of public funds from the NNPC,” while the AGF “fears that the money may have been diverted into private pockets, denying the government the funding needed to carry out its activities.
“The NNPCL reportedly failed and/or refused to remit N151,121,999,966. The NNPCL without any justification deducted the money from the oil royalties assessed for 2020 by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) now the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC),” among others.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
Punch
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has disclaimed a purported recruitment announcement for the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), warning the public against falling victim to fraudulent schemes.
In a statement released on its official X handle (formerly Twitter) on Friday evening, the oil company clarified that no separate recruitment process was ongoing for PHRC beyond the one initiated in 2024.
The statement, titled “NNPC Ltd Disclaims Purported Recruitment Announcement for PHRC,” was signed by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye.
“The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has urged members of the public to discountenance purported recruitment announcement for the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) circulating in certain online platforms,” the statement read.
NNPC Ltd further explained that its recruitment process, which commenced last year, covered all its subsidiaries, including PHRC. The company noted that candidates who passed the Computer-Based Aptitude Test were proceeding to the interview stage.
“The purported recruitment link being circulated in various online platforms is the handiwork of fraudsters who are keen on taking advantage of the newly revamped Port Harcourt Refinery to fleece unsuspecting members of the public with a phantom recruitment announcement. We, therefore, call on members of the public to be wary of the ploy and not fall for it,” the statement warned.
The Adamawa State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Commission has disbursed N61,080 to each of the 2023 pilgrims from the state over poor services rendered to them by the service providers while in Saudi Arabia.
The executive secretary of the pilgrims commission, Malam Abubakar Salihu, disbursed the refunded money, saying it was a step of accountability.
The disbursement was paid into the account of the pilgrims or, for those without account numbers, through the local government schedule officers of the 21 local governments of the state.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Alhaji Shuaibu Musa Mele appreciated the commission for ensuring that each pilgrim gets his rightful refund.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had earlier refunded money through the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, for sharing among the 36 states of the country.
A school building in Fakai village, reportedly used as a food storage facility by the notorious bandit leader Bello Turji, has been destroyed.
The facility, which had been stocked with large quantities of food supplies, was completely razed, leaving the structure in ruins.
According to local sources, the school was repurposed by the bandits to support their operations in the region.
It served as a key logistical hub for storing essential supplies, ensuring the group’s ability to sustain its activities over time.
The destruction of the stockpile is seen as a major setback for Bello Turji’s network. By eliminating a critical resource hub, the operation is expected to disrupt the group’s supply chain and hinder their ability to operate effectively in the area.
Counter-terrorism expert Zagazola Makama reported that the incident underscores ongoing efforts to counter the influence and operations of bandit groups in the region.
Residents of Fakai village and surrounding areas hope this effort signals further strides toward restoring peace and security.
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