- Safiu Kehinde
Former Chief Finance Officer (CFO), Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Umar Isa, has denied the claim of being arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged $7.2 billion fraud.
NPO Reported that Isa was allegedly arrested by the anti-graft alongside three other former officials of the NNPC on Monday.
They were said to have been arrested in connection with an alleged 7.2 billion dollars fraud linked to the rehabilitation of the Kaduna, Warri, and Port Harcourt refineries.
As against the claims, the former NNPCL CFO in a statement on Wednesday described his purported arrest by the EFCC over the alleged fraud as false.
Isa claimed to have voluntarily submitted himself to the commission, stressing that at no time was he arrested in connection with the alleged 7.2 billion dollars relating to transactions at the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries.
“Nobody arrested me for any $7.2 billion in relation to any refinery fraud. I voluntarily submitted myself for questioning to the EFCC and thereafter I went home.
“To see in the media of stories of my arrest over fraud is unfortunate,” he stated.
Isa said that he served at NNPC Limited and he left with his integrity intact.
“Nobody has accused me of any fraud throughout my sojourn at the company. People who are pushing this false narrative of arrests and detention just want to tarnish my reputation,” he said.
Isa said he was ready at any time to defend his reputation and years of service at the NNPCL.
“I am in this country and any day and anytime the EFCC request me to appear before them I will be present,” he said.