Contrary to claims circulating online, Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, has neither been abducted nor forced to resign by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), TheCable has confirmed.
Sources within the EFCC described the reports as “ridiculous and mischievous,” dismissing allegations that EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede detained Ojulari and coerced him into signing a resignation letter. One source emphasized that Olukoyede “is not an appointing authority” and has no reason to compel anyone to resign.
“If he needs anyone to account for anything, he does it formally—through written communication or official invitation. The EFCC chairman is not a bully. He’s a law-abiding chief executive of the nation’s most important anti-graft agency,” the source said.
The clarification comes in response to a report published by an online newspaper on Saturday, alleging that the EFCC, in collaboration with Adeola Ajayi, Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), orchestrated Ojulari’s forced resignation.
A Presidency source has also denied the claims, describing the reports as “false and rubbish.” Ojulari, who was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in April 2025, continues to lead the NNPC in line with the administration’s reform agenda aimed at boosting operational efficiency, restoring investor confidence, and enhancing the commercial viability of the national oil company.
The controversy arises amid mounting pressure from civil society groups over a $21 million (₦34.65 billion) corruption scandal. Activist coalitions such as OilWatch Nigeria and the Workers’ Rights Alliance allege that Ojulari’s detained associate, Abdullahi Bashir Haske, confessed to holding the funds on his behalf. They have launched a three-day protest at the National Assembly, EFCC headquarters, and NNPCL offices, calling for Ojulari’s arrest and prosecution.
Additional allegations include a kickback scheme involving oil traders and pipeline contractors, which allegedly came to light after Ojulari reassigned fund collection responsibilities. A whistleblower’s tip reportedly led to the freezing of an implicated account by the EFCC.
Earlier in May 2025, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) called for investigations into claims that ₦500 billion was unremitted by NNPCL to the Federation Account between October and December 2024.
Despite the allegations, several advocacy groups, including the Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiatives (CGGCI) and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), have defended Ojulari. They argue the protests are politically motivated attempts to stall ongoing reforms. These groups have highlighted Ojulari’s achievements, such as the implementation of real-time monitoring systems, contract audits, and efforts to improve fuel supply, which they claim have significantly reduced queues at petrol stations.
Critics, however, cite concerns over alleged extravagant spending, including a high-cost retreat in Kigali that involved private jets, and an allegedly toxic work environment leading to multiple staff resignations.
The Niger Delta Environmental Justice Coalition (NDEJC) also weighed in, condemning what it described as a politically driven EFCC-DSS operation. Nonetheless, the group acknowledged Ojulari’s role in stabilizing oil production and increasing remittances to the government.
As controversy swirls, the Presidency and EFCC insist that due process remains central in addressing the unfolding situation.