The former Chief Finance Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Umar Isa, has denied being arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with an alleged $7.2 billion refinery rehabilitation fraud.
Contrary to widespread media reports, Isa said he was not picked up by operatives of the anti-graft agency, but rather submitted himself voluntarily for questioning in Abuja.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Isa described the claims of his arrest over the massive financial scandal involving the Warri, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna refineries as “unfounded” and an attempt to smear his reputation.
“Nobody arrested me for any $7.2 billion in relation to any refinery fraud. I voluntarily submitted myself for questioning to the EFCC, and thereafter, I went home,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had earlier reported that Isa and three other senior officials were arrested in Abuja on Monday over alleged irregularities surrounding funds earmarked for the refurbishment of the country’s key refineries.
However, Isa pushed back on the narrative, insisting that no formal accusation has been levelled against him by the EFCC or any other authority during his tenure at NNPCL.
“I served at NNPC Limited and left with my integrity intact. Nobody has accused me of any fraud throughout my time at the company,” he stated.
“People who are pushing this false narrative of arrests and detention just want to tarnish my reputation.”
Isa further stressed his readiness to cooperate with anti-corruption agencies, saying he remains available at any time for further questioning if required.
“I am in this country, and any day and anytime the EFCC requests me to appear before them, I will be present,” he said.
The EFCC is yet to issue an official statement confirming or denying Isa’s version of events. However, the controversy has drawn fresh attention to the opaque management of Nigeria’s oil sector and the massive funds committed to the refurbishment of refineries that remain non-functional.
The $7.2 billion under scrutiny was reportedly linked to a series of transactions for the rehabilitation of the Warri, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna refineries — facilities that have seen minimal output despite repeated financial injections.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the unfolding development adds to growing public concern over transparency and accountability in the handling of oil sector contracts under successive administrations.
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