NNPCL Controversy: Arewa Economic Forum Raises Alarm as EFCC, DSS Refute Claims

The Arewa Economic Forum (AEF) has called on the Federal Government to provide an official clarification regarding reports that the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Bashir B. Ojulari, was pressured to resign.

Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the EFCC, Mele Kyari, Group CEO of NNPCL, Chairman DSS Adeola Ajayi

This demand comes as both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) have refuted allegations of their involvement in the matter.

The controversy stems from recent media reports suggesting that operatives from the EFCC and DSS allegedly abducted and coerced Mr. Ojulari into signing a resignation letter late Friday night.

The AEF, a prominent Northern-based think tank, expressed deep concern over the allegations, stating that such actions, if true, would represent a significant threat to due process and institutional integrity.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Malam Shehu Ibrahim Dandakata, the AEF emphasized its commitment to transparency and accountability but warned against unlawful procedures.

“If there are credible allegations against Mr. Ojulari, they should be addressed through the appropriate legal and administrative channels—not through secrecy, coercion, or orchestrated media leaks,” the statement read.

Mr. Ojulari, who was appointed in April 2025 and hails from Kwara State, is among few key figures from Northern Nigeria in the economic team of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. He is widely credited with introducing professionalism and reformist policies to the management of Nigeria’s vital oil and gas sector.

The AEF cautioned that a leadership vacuum or uncertainty in this critical sector could destabilize economic planning, erode investor confidence, and damage Nigeria’s reputation globally.

The forum has therefore urged the Federal Government and all relevant authorities to issue a definitive statement clarifying Mr. Ojulari’s employment status. Such a statement, the AEF argued, is crucial for maintaining public trust and demonstrating the government’s commitment to transparent and lawful governance. The AEF also called for all parties to avoid actions that could undermine national unity or cast unwarranted suspicion on the country’s anti-graft agencies.

Meanwhile, sources from both the EFCC and the DSS have vehemently denied the claims. Officials from both agencies, speaking to PRNigeria, dismissed the reports of Ojulari’s abduction or forced resignation as “false and unfounded.”

A senior EFCC official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that a petition against the NNPCL boss had been filed but stressed that Ojulari was neither interrogated nor pressured to resign.

Similarly, a DSS source affirmed the agency’s respect for the rule of law and human rights, stating it would not engage in illegal activities against any citizen.