The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered over N5bn and $10m from contractors and government officials indicted in the fraud in the turnaround maintenance of the nation’s refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri.
It was reliably gathered that the anti-graft agency was working to recover another N10bn and $13m allegedly siphoned through contractors engaged in the maintenance.
Our correspondent learnt that the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, took personal charge of the investigation owing to his displeasure with the non-functional refineries in spite of humongous public spendings on them.
Nigeria’s four refineries have been largely dormant for decades despite several attempts at rehabilitation.
Successive administrations have budgeted billions of dollars for their turnaround maintenance, but the facilities in Warri, Kaduna, and Port Harcourt have continued to underperform, forcing the country to rely heavily on imported petroleum products.
The EFCC is said to be probing the sum of $1,559,239,084.36 allocated to the Port Harcourt refinery, $740,669,600 released for the Kaduna refinery, and $656,963,938 approved for the Warri refinery.
Top sources at the anti-graft agency revealed that fraudulent practices, including over-invoicing, contract inflation, and questionable payments, were largely responsible for the inability of the refineries to function despite huge public spending over the years.
They disclosed that former management teams of the three refineries were repeatedly interrogated in connection with the discoveries.
One of the sources said the commission had concluded investigations into some officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited allegedly involved in the rehabilitation contracts and was preparing charges against them.
The source said, “Our investigation into the turnaround maintenance of the nation’s refineries in Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt, have yielded major discoveries of large- scale fraud.
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“Investigators discovered fraudulent dealings through over-invoicing, contract inflation and questionable payments were largely responsible for the malfunctioning of the refineries.
“Specifically, investigations flagged former management teams of the three refineries who were arrested several times and grilled to uncover fraudulent dealings that have not made the refineries deliver optimal benefits to Nigerians.
“A total sum of $10m and N5bn have so far been recovered from suspects indicted in the fraud. The recoveries were made from some contractors and government officials involved in over-invoicing and inflated payments.”
The source added that some serving and retired members of the management of the NNPCL and the refineries might be charged soon.
“Investigations are already concluded on some officials of the NNPCL involved in the rehabilitation contracts and the commission is ready to file charges against them.
“Both former management and present management of the NNPCL and refineries may be charged,” the source said.
Another source noted that the commission was on track to recover additional sums.
“While we have recovered some money, another $13m and N10bn discovered to be siphoned through contractors engaged in the maintenance are due to be recovered,” the source disclosed.
The source also said the commission was probing fresh allegations of contract inflation worth about $40m, allegedly involving NNPCL officials and some contractors engaged to procure equipment for the rehabilitation projects.
“Investigation is still ongoing on allegations of contract inflation in the region of $40million involving some officials of NNPCL and some contractors engaged to procure equipment for rehabilitation works, “ the source said.
The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, could not be reached for comments as of press time as calls and text messages were not replied.
A senior official of the commission, who does not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, however, confirmed the recovery.
(Sunday PUNCH, excluding headline)
