There were indications that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may have closed investigations into the alleged unlawful payment of severance benefits to the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Mele Kyari and the Chief Financial Officer of the company, Umar Ajiya.
Recall that the national oil giant had invited the anti-corruption agency to investigate the authenticity of the claims with a view to ascertaining the veracity of the allegations.
According to a top NNPC official, who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, said the anti-graft agency dismissed the claims of illegal payment of billions of naira to the two officials because they were, untrue and baseless.
The source said the allegations had no substance, prompting the anti-graft agency to consequently suspend further probe into the matter. According to him, the same manner the chairman of the EFCC was appointed from the organisation to head the Commission was also the way Kyari and Ajiya were appointed from the old NNPC post Petroleum Industry Act, (PIA).
Drawing a comparison between both offices, the source stated that although the EFCC chairman did not collect his own severance benefits for purpose of safe keeping, he asked that the severance benefit be paid to him after his tenure ends as chairman of the body. So this issue of payment of severance benefits for an appointee of government is not new, the source added.
It was further gathered that when the investors found out that the payments were genuine entitlements, they voluntarily closed the case on their own.
It added that the development might also have something to do with the ongoing reforms in NNPC, which the source said has blocked so many loopholes in the new company.
Sources close to Kyari said the NNPC boss had resolved not to be distracted by the allegation, stressing that the GCEO was fully committed to moving the national oil company to the next level.
