NNPCL Accuses Saboteurs Amid Senate N210 Trillion Audit Ultimatum

NNPCL Accuses Saboteurs Amid Senate N210 Trillion Audit Ultimatum

Less than 24 hours after Senate’s Public Accounts Committee issued a 10-day ultimatum for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to explain the over N210 trillion in audit discrepancies, the leadership of the company, led by Bayo Ojulari, has raised the alarm that some saboteurs within and outside the organisation are working against efforts to transform the company into a corruption-free one.

Also, the House of Representatives called for an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) following allegations of corruption, illegal asset sales and contract fraud amounting to over N50 billion.

However, in a statement signed by the management on Friday, the new leadership disclosed that it had uncovered an emerging coordinated sabotage campaign being waged by a syndicate of known and faceless actors, both outside and within various levels of the organisation.

According to the statement, the actors were actively spreading lies and misinformation to discredit the new leadership and derail the organisation’s ongoing transformation into a corruption-free and performance-driven energy company.

“The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has uncovered an emerging coordinated sabotage campaign being waged by a syndicate of known and faceless actors, both outside and within various levels of the organisation.

“This group is actively spreading lies and misinformation simply to discredit NNPC Ltd.’s leadership and derail the organisation’s ongoing transformation into a corruption-free, performance-driven energy company, in line with the mandate of His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement read partly.

It was disclosed that the tactics of the said individuals include planting scandalous and fabricated reports to distract the leadership and mislead the public.

The statement described the steps as calculated efforts by those said to be threatened by reform, transparency, accountability, and change.

“Their tactics include planting scandalous and fabricated reports, curated to distract leadership, mislead the public, and undermine the commitment of our dedicated workforce and reform-minded Nigerians.

“These are calculated efforts by those who feel threatened by reform, transparency, accountability, and change—clear evidence of the lengths to which they will go to obstruct the transformation of Nigeria’s foremost energy institution,” the NNPC leadership stated.

However, the new NNPC board stated that it expected a surge of defamatory content soon, but no amount of sabotage would deter the ongoing reforms within the company.

“We expect a surge of defamatory content in the days and weeks ahead. NNPC Ltd remains undeterred. The transformation is underway, and no amount of sabotage will stop it.

“We urge our dedicated staff, stakeholders, and all patriotic Nigerians to stay focused, ignore the noise and not be discouraged. We remain on a mission,” the statement concluded.

But the Senate panel had given seven days’ grace for the NNPCL management and auditors to provide answers to 11 audit queries.

It’s a fresh warning following a heated session yesterday, during which NNPCL requested a two-month postponement to respond to 11 unresolved audit queries.

In a letter dated June 24, 2025, NNPCL requested postponement, citing the need to “collate requested information and documentation” and the absence of board and senior management members. But the senators were unimpressed.

In a pointed rebuke, Committee Chairman, Aliyu Wadada (SDP, Nasarawa West) described the delay as unacceptable and indicative of either institutional unpreparedness or deliberate evasion.

“For a corporate body like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to queries that originated from its own books is not only irresponsible but suspicious,” Wadada said. “This committee is giving NNPCL until July 10, 2025, to appear, with the GMD present in person to respond to all outstanding issues. No excuses will be entertained.”

Failure to comply, the committee warned, would amount to contempt of the Senate and may trigger the invocation of constitutional powers to compel attendance and enforce accountability.

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