EFCC Raids Port Harcourt Refinery, Arrests Acting MD

Operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have raided the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), detaining Acting Managing Director Mr. Jelili Ademoye for questioning. The raid took place just hours after the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) sacked the Managing Directors of its three state-owned refineries.

The EFCC operation began at around 1:00 PM on Wednesday, with witnesses saying officials bypassed formal procedures and went directly to Mr. Ademoye’s office. Sources say he was swiftly escorted out of the building and placed into a waiting vehicle, though the reason for his detention remains unclear.

The raid follows a major shake-up at NNPC, which announced the dismissal of Ibrahim Onoja (PHRC), Dr. Mustafa Sugungun (Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company), and Efifia Chu (Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company) late on Tuesday. The firings come amid growing concerns over the transparency and operational efficiency of the state-run refineries, which have faced longstanding issues with mismanagement.

Sources close to the refinery have suggested that the EFCC was seeking to examine vital documents left behind by the outgoing managing directors. However, the manner in which the operation was conducted has raised eyebrows.

As of Thursday morning, there has been no official statement from the EFCC regarding the raid, and it remains unclear whether the operation was sanctioned by the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.