The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited claims it has uncovered an emerging coordinated sabotage campaign by an unnamed syndicate threatening its operations.
In a statement signed by its management on Friday and posted on X (formerly Twitter), the state oil company said the group in question is actively spreading lies and misinformation simply to discredit NNPC leadership.
It said the plot is to derail the organisation’s ongoing transformation into a corruption-free, performance-driven energy company, “in line with the mandate of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
This development comes after it was widely reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested the former Chief Finance Officer (CFO) of the company, Mr Umar Ajiya Isa and some others in connection with a $7.2 billion fraud associated with the rehabilitation of the Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt refineries.
Mr Isa, who was in charge of release of funds for the Turn Around Maintenance of the three refineries, has since denied the charges.
Recall that the Senate had also raised issue about the books of the company involving an alleged missing N210 trillion.
In the latest statement, NNPC claims that the nameless saboteurs tactics include “planting scandalous and fabricated reports, curated to distract leadership, mislead the public, and undermine the commitment of our dedicated workforce and reform-minded Nigerians.”
“These are calculated efforts by those who feel threatened by reform, transparency, accountability, and change—clear evidence of the lengths to which they will go to obstruct the transformation of Nigeria’s foremost energy institution.”
It added that, “We expect a surge of defamatory content in the days and weeks ahead. NNPC Ltd. remains undeterred. The transformation is underway, and no amount of sabotage will stop it.
“We urge our dedicated staff, stakeholders, and all patriotic Nigerians to stay focused, ignore the noise and not be discouraged. We remain on mission.”