Sources within the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have strongly denied reports that its Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, abducted or forced the resignation of Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Describing the report as “ridiculous and mischievous,” insiders at the Commission told reporters that the EFCC Chairman neither has the authority to demand resignations nor engages in coercive tactics.
The clarification follows a controversial report by Peoples Gazette, which alleged that Mr. Olukoyede, alongside Adeola Ajayi, the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), abducted Ojulari on Friday and compelled him to sign a resignation letter during a covert meeting in Abuja.
The Gazette further claimed that the officials questioned Ojulari over his alleged ties to British-Nigerian oil businesswoman Olatimbo Ayinde, who has been linked to high-level influence within the Tinubu administration and is reportedly under investigation in the UK for bribery-related offenses.
Reacting, Commission sources insisted the EFCC Chairman is a “law-abiding chief executive” who operates strictly within the boundaries of due process.
“Mr. Olukoyede does not need to abduct or force anyone to resign. He is not an appointing authority. If there is any need to question an individual, he does so formally by writing or issuing an invitation. Any process outside that is not only untrue but should be ignored,” one source stated.
They emphasized that the EFCC boss has never been involved in coercion, torture, or intimidation of any individual, adding that the public must be wary of “fake news peddlers and their false narratives.”
The controversy emerged amid growing scrutiny of Ojulari’s leadership at NNPCL. Appointed by President Bola Tinubu in April, Ojulari has faced criticism over alleged financial excesses, including claims that millions of dollars were spent on a recent company trip to an oil and gas conference in Kigali. Ojulari has denied any wrongdoing, attributing the attacks to detractors seeking to undermine his office.
Efforts to reach Ojulari for comments on the alleged abduction have so far been unsuccessful, while both the EFCC and SSS have yet to issue official statements addressing the Gazette report.
The post “Ignore Fake News” — Sources Dismiss Reports Of EFCC Chairman’s Role In Alleged Ojulari Abduction And Resignation From Searchng.NG abijohn.com .
