There were indications on Sunday, 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 (NNPC) Mallam Mele Kyari and the Chief Financial Officer of the company, Umar Ajiya.
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.
But when THISDAY sought to get the update on the matter, a top NNPC official who preferred 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.
“There was no need for the EFCC to continue to waste time on an investigation that has no basis. The EFCC found out that the billions of naira bandied around as the payment for the severance benefits to the GCEO and the CFO were far from what was actually paid out to them.
“In fact the money in question was less than N90 million and by law the two officials were entitled to the severance benefits,” the source said.
According to the source, 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).
Still drawing a comparison between both offices, the source stated that although the EFCC chairman did not collect his own severance benefits for the 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 the 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.
“As I speak with you now, there is no case against Kyari or Ajiya in EFCC or any other security agency that I know of. Some vested interests who are looking for an opportunity to tarnish the image of the two NNPC senior officials are behind these wicked allegations,” the source added.
Another top industry source who spoke on the matter in Abuja said the renewed attack on the duo may not be unconnected with the politics surrounding the new transition to a new government.
“You know a new government is coming and people are deploying desperate means to ruin the reputations of political appointees to create jobs for some people. In the case of Kyari and Ajiya, some people are already eyeing their positions and they think that employing campaigns of falsehood will win them the positions,” the source added.
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.
“So many people who are used to cutting corners are not happy and they are ready to employ every available means to cast aspersions on the reputation of these key managers in the organisation,” the source added.
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.
“The management of the NNPC has an unshakable resolve not to allow any distraction in the running of the oil company. It is determined to put the company on the path of profitability and install a globally acceptable governance structure that will promote transparency and accountability in the system,” it added.
Emmanuel Addeh
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