A former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Umar Ajiya Isa, has denied allegations that he was apprehended by agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday in connection with fraud.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the ex-CFO of NNPCL clarified that, contrary to the reports, he willingly presented himself to the Commission and was never detained regarding the purported $7.2 billion associated with transactions at the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries.

Isa expressed his readiness to defend his reputation and the years he dedicated to service at the NNPCL at any time.

“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. To see in the media stories of my arrest over fraud is unfortunate.

“I served at NNPC Limited and I left with my integrity intact. Nobody has accused me of any fraud throughout my sojourn at the company. People who are pushing this false narrative of arrest and detention just want to tarnish my reputation.

“I am in this country and any day and any time the EFCC requests me to appear before them, I will be present,” he added.

Naijaonpoint reports that last week, the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, led by Aliyu Wadada, expressed serious concerns regarding discrepancies amounting to trillions of naira in the audited financial statements of the NNPCL, characterising the findings as astonishing and troubling.

The committee emphasised that these concerns arise directly from the examination of NNPCL’s audited financial statements spanning from 2017 to 2023.

The committee promptly provided a list of 11 inquiries to the NNPCL finance team and allotted them one week to respond with answers.