Three former heads of Nigeria’s top refineries are threatening to sue a national newspaper for N50 billion, accusing it of publishing a damaging report that linked them to a major fraud.
The publication had alleged their involvement in a $3 billion scandal related to refinery rehabilitation and claimed N80 billion was found in the personal account of one of the former officials.
The former Managing Directors—Mr Ibrahim Onoja of Port Harcourt Refining Company, Mr Efifia Chu of Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Dr Mustafa Sugungun of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company—have denied any connection to the fraud and said the report is false.
Their legal representative, Reuben Atabo, delivered a letter to the newspaper’s Lagos office on May 5, 2025, demanding an apology, a retraction, and payment for damages.
According to the letter, only Dr Sugungun was contacted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and that was just for a routine inquiry.
He was never held or found guilty of any wrongdoing.
The letter also made it clear that the other two former refinery bosses were not questioned or linked to the investigation in any way.
It stated that the EFCC had not traced any money to the personal accounts of the three men.
Atabo explained that Onoja, Chu, and two other former officials were only invited by the EFCC after the news report was already out.
He said the accusations have caused deep damage to their image and careers, exposing them to public shame and suspicion.
The former MDs said they served the oil and gas sector faithfully for many years and do not deserve to have their names dragged through the mud.
Their lawyers said the report was not only false but also reckless, and could stir public anger, especially with the ongoing fuel challenges in the country.
The former officials are asking for public apologies to be published in five local and five international newspapers.
They are also seeking N50 billion in damages and have given the media outlet five days to act or face a lawsuit both in Nigeria and abroad.
