The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered a massive fraud scandal in the turnaround maintenance of Nigeria’s refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri, leading to the recovery of more than ₦5 billion and $10 million. Investigations revealed that senior officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), in collusion with contractors, diverted billions through inflated contracts, questionable invoicing, and dubious payments. The commission is now finalising charges against both serving and former NNPCL executives. According to insiders, the EFCC is also pursuing an additional ₦10 billion and \$13 million traced to fraudulent contractors engaged in refinery rehabilitation projects. The probe, which is personally supervised by EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, has exposed shocking details of how huge public funds were squandered. Olukoyede is said to be particularly concerned that Nigeria’s refineries remain inoperative despite the billions sunk into their maintenance. Documents obtained by investigators revealed that over \$1.5 billion was allocated to the Port Harcourt refinery, \$740 million to Kaduna, and \$656 million to Warri. Yet, none of these facilities has functioned effectively for decades, leaving the nation reliant on petroleum imports. A senior EFCC official confirmed that former management teams of the refineries have been interrogated on several occasions. “A total sum of \$10 million and ₦5 billion has so far been recovered from contractors and government officials indicted in the fraud. More recoveries are underway,” the source disclosed. Meanwhile, the EFCC is also probing fresh allegations of contract inflation worth about \$40 million, allegedly involving NNPCL officials and contractors responsible for procuring equipment for the refinery projects. With investigations concluded on several suspects, the anti-graft agency is preparing to arraign ex-NNPCL executives and refinery managers implicated in the multi-billion-naira fraud.