NNPCL: Court Okays EFCC Move to Temporarily Seize N30.7m Allegedly Linked to Fraud

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday received permission from a Federal High Court, Abuja, to temporarily seize the sum of N30.7 million allegedly linked to fraudulent activities in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).

Justice Emeka Nwite gave the permission while ruling in an ex-parte application brought by the anti-graft agency, seeking a temporary forfeiture of the said sum to the federal government.

The motion was argued on behalf of the commission by one of its lawyers, Emenike Mgbemele.

After granting the request, the judge ordered that the interim order of forfeiture be published in a national daily for interested persons to show cause within 14 days why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Nwite, subsequently adjourned the matter until January 22 for the report of compliance.

Recall that the NNPC was changed to Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) on July 19, 2022 to reflect a commercially focused energy company under late President Muhammadu Buhari as enshrined in the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

The EFCC had, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2775/2025, sought two reliefs.

The motion ex parte, dated December 19, 2025, was filed on December 23, 2025, by Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, but was moved on January 2, 2026, by Mgbemele.

The applicant had specifically sought for an interim order directing the forfeiture of the sum of N30, 700, 000.00 as raised in the manager’s cheques listed in the schedule, which it said are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.