Naija Blog Reports that in a shocking twist reminiscent of Nigeria’s military-era tactics, top security officials allegedly forced the head of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Bayo Ojulari, to resign during a secret meeting in Abuja.
Sources told Peoples Gazette that Mr. Ojulari was seized on Friday night by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, and the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Adeola Ajayi. The embattled NNPC chief was reportedly pressured into signing a resignation letter without prior approval or knowledge of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Insiders within the national security architecture described the act as a "civilian coup d’état," raising concerns about the growing influence of unelected power blocs within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Mr. Ojulari was allegedly grilled over his supposed connections with Olatimbo Ayinde, a UK-based Nigerian oil magnate who has recently gained prominence within the Tinubu administration. According to a security source, Ojulari denied having any links to Ms. Ayinde and claimed he had resisted attempts by her or her proxies to influence operations within the NNPC.
Olatimbo Ayinde, already facing charges in the United Kingdom for bribing former Nigerian oil ministers, was recently the subject of a Gazette investigation. The report revealed that Nigerian anti-graft agencies had been instructed to stall British prosecutors’ requests for evidence related to her ongoing trial.
Mr. Ojulari, a former Shell executive, was appointed by President Tinubu in April due to his extensive experience in the hydrocarbon industry. However, his tenure came under scrutiny following his approval of an expensive NNPC delegation trip to an oil and gas conference in Kigali. While sources allege millions of dollars were spent, Mr. Ojulari has denied any wrongdoing, attributing the reports to politically motivated detractors.
At the time of filing this report, Mr. Ojulari had not responded to multiple inquiries. Efforts to get comments from the EFCC, SSS, and the presidency are still ongoing.
