Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has ordered the former CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Co. Ltd. (NNPCL) to make daily reports to its headquarters in Abuja in preparation for charges to be made in court.

The former CEO, Mele Kyari, is one of numerous other ex-NNPCL officials and contractors that may face penalties as part of an ongoing investigation into the $2.5bn allegedly spent on rehabilitating Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries with next to no results after multiple years, according to the Nigerian Eye.

Currently, the EFCC has imposed restrictions on some of Kyari’s accounts and is in the process of reviewing large amounts of documents, with the ex-official’s daily presence required to clarify any discrepancies.

The Nigerian Eye reported that sources had said Kyari was in the final stages of the interrogation process to clarify any gaps in the ongoing investigation. The ex-official is currently on bail – with conditions including reporting daily to the EFCC.

Former refinery managing directors and general managers have also been questioned by the commission, with the probe focusing particularly on $18bn spent since 2010 on refinery maintenance, including $656.9mn for Warri refinery, $740.6mn for Kaduna, and $1.55bn for Port Harcourt at the time of Kyari’s leadership.

Kaduna refinery has taken up around $1.52mn in 10 years, with a contract having been awarded to Daewoo Engineering for the plant’s rehabilitation that aimed for 110,000 barrels per day (bpd) at 60% capacity by the start of 2024.

Daewoo was also involved in a separate contract for Warri refinery’s repairs – awarded to the company for $497.3mn in 2022 and separate from a contract to Saipem for Warri and Kaduna in 2017.

So far, Kyari has claimed that he has acted with complete transparency; however, the EFCC notes that the ex-CEO and other suspects will be required to defend themselves in court against all allegations, according to Nigerian Eye, with an end date to the investigation and subsequent court date yet unknown.

Nigerian president Bola Tinubu replaced Kyari and various other board members unexpectedly on April 2 following concerns about the NNPCL’s performance and failure to meet vital production targets, according to Punch.

Kyari had previously been head of the state-owned oil company since 2019, first appointed as part of an overhaul that was aimed at increasing Nigeria’s output of crude oil and gas.