The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has pushed back against claims of theft and financial misconduct, with its former Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya, vehemently denying allegations that the corporation operates as a den of thieves. This defense comes in the wake of sharp criticism from Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who had labeled the NNPC a ‘house of thieves’ during a Senate Public Accounts Committee hearing.
During the session, Ajiya firmly stated that neither the organization nor its employees are guilty of stealing. He clarified that the N2.9 billion expenditure was allocated for the incorporation and rebranding of the company, not the N5.8 billion that had been alleged. The CFO insisted that the figure quoted by Oshiomhole was incorrect and that no funds had gone missing.
Ajiya emphasized the NNPC’s commitment to transparency, noting that audited accounts have been publicly released for the past 44 years. He challenged the committee and the public to scrutinize the financial records available on the company’s website, asserting that the NNPC has moved away from its historically opaque practices to build trust with Nigerians.