The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has opened an investigation into the former chief executive officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mele Kyari, over alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of $2.896 billion allocated for refinery rehabilitation.

Kyari, alongside other former top officials including Abubakar Yar’Adua and senior refinery executives, is being probed for the handling of funds meant for the overhaul of the Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri refineries.

In a letter dated April 28 and addressed to the current NNPC managing director Bashir Ojulari, the EFCC requested certified salary and allowance records of 14 officials, including Kyari.

The document, titled “Investigation Activities Request for Information”, referenced an ongoing probe into alleged financial misconduct.

Those named include former chief financial officer Umar Ajiya, former GED finance Isiaka Abdulrazak and the former MDs of the three refineries.

Some were recently dismissed as part of a management overhaul ordered by President Bola Tinubu.

The investigation follows the president’s decision in April to dissolve the NNPC board and sack Kyari, replacing him with Bashir Ojulari. A new eight-member senior management team has also been appointed.

Finance minister Wale Edun recently disclosed during the World Bank/IMF meetings in Washington that a forensic audit of NNPC is underway.

“The NNPC needs to come to the table with more dollar revenue,” Edun said, emphasising the need for transparency and improved performance from the state oil company.