Abuja Court Orders EFCC to Confiscate N30.7M Alleged NNPC Fraud
The ongoing crackdown on high profile corruption within Nigeria’s petroleum sector reached a new milestone on Monday, January 5, 2026, as a Federal High Court in Abuja authorized the temporary seizure of millions in illicit cash. Presiding over the matter, Justice Emeka Nwite issued an order for the interim forfeiture of N30.7M Alleged NNPC Fraud proceeds, which investigators believe are tied to a web of financial misconduct involving senior officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
The ruling follows an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which argued that the funds are the product of unlawful activities discovered during an extensive probe into energy sector racketeering.
The specifics of the case, marked as suit FHC/ABJ/CS/2775/2025, unveil a sophisticated money laundering trail involving a Bureau De Change operator, Adamu Yakubu, and a staff member of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, identified as Ibrahim Sani. According to an affidavit presented by EFCC investigator Bilkisu Abubakar, the N30.7M Alleged NNPC Fraud was uncovered after analyzing a transaction ledger submitted by Yakubu.
The ledger reportedly exposed a staggering movement of over N4 billion transferred to various individuals and corporate entities under Sani’s instructions. While the N30.7 million remained in Yakubu’s possession at the time of the raid, both the BDC operator and the FIRS official have denied ownership of the specific sum, leading the anti graft agency to categorize the money as “abandoned” proceeds of crime.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite expressed satisfaction with the material evidence provided by the EFCC counsel, Emenike Mgbemele, describing the application as meritorious. The court has now directed the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper.
This publication serves as a formal invitation to any person or entity with a legitimate interest in the funds to “show cause” within 14 days why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government. The funds are currently domiciled in the EFCC’s Recovery Account with United Bank for Africa, UBA, held in the form of four manager’s cheques raised by the BDC operator to facilitate the recovery process.
READ ALSO: Chief Adelabu Defends Record as Alleged Missing N128bn Hits Power Ministry
This judicial intervention is a critical component of the broader effort to sanitize the NNPCL, which has seen several of its past and present officials come under the radar for alleged embezzlement and kickbacks. The court has adjourned the matter until January 22, 2026, for the EFCC to report back on its compliance with the publication directive. As the 14 day window begins, the case stands as a stark warning to public officials and financial intermediaries that the government remains committed to tracing and recovering every kobo linked to the exploitation of the nation’s oil wealth.