Former NNPC Refinery Directors Demand ₦50bn In Damages Over Defamatory Report
Three former managing directors of NNPC refineries have launched a ₦50 billion legal claim against a national newspaper, alleging defamation over a report linking them to an ₦80 billion fraud scandal.
The trio—Ibrahim Onoja of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, Efifia Chu of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Dr Mustafa Sugnugun of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company—have issued a five-day ultimatum through their lawyer, Reuben Atabo, SAN. They are demanding a full retraction, a public apology, and compensation for reputational damage caused by the article.
The contentious report, published on 3 May under the headline “Authorities Trace N80bn to Ex-MD as $3bn Fraud Rocks Nigerian Refineries”, falsely claimed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had apprehended and investigated the directors for misappropriating $2.96 billion meant for refinery rehabilitation. Atabo vehemently denied these allegations, stating, “No ₦80 billion exists in any of our clients’ accounts. No charge, arrest, or legal action ever occurred.”
The legal team has called for the newspaper to issue an unreserved apology and retract the article through five leading national newspapers and five international media outlets. They argue that the report caused severe harm to the reputations of the former refinery heads, who “rose to the top of their profession through merit, not corruption.”
Atabo condemned the publication as “reckless” and misleading, accusing it of unfairly blaming the directors for Nigeria’s fuel crisis without evidence. “This false report attempted to erase their hard-earned reputations,” he said.
The former directors have warned that failure to meet their demands within five days will trigger legal action in Nigeria and international jurisdictions. “We will pursue full legal redress for this irresponsible publication,” Atabo declared.
The case underscores growing concerns over media accountability and the impact of unverified reporting on public figures. As the deadline approaches, all eyes are on the newspaper’s response to the ultimatum.
