Calls for independent leadership for NNPCL and oil and gas agencies are growing louder

In a viral video, Dangote said: “We know where they are mixing these things. Some of the NNPC people and some traders have opened a mixing plant somewhere off Malta. We all know these areas. We know what they are doing.”

Following this allegation, the Civil and Economic Freedom Activists in Nigeria (CEFRAN) called for a thorough judicial investigation by the federal government to uncover the full extent of the fraud surrounding the importation of contaminated fuel into Nigeria.

At a press conference in Abuja, CEFRAN Chairman Franziska Obinna expressed deep concern about the actions of Matrix Energy and its partners, accusing them of importing and distributing substandard fuel that poses a serious threat to the health of Nigerians.

Francis was particularly critical of the regulatory chiefs, including NNPCL’s Mele Kyari, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority Gbenga Komolafeand the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission Farouq Ahmed, They are calling for her immediate resignation to pave the way for an impartial investigation.

“It is a deep shame for the nation that Nigeria, the continent’s largest oil producer, is dependent on substandard oil imports, especially from a country like Malta, which does not have its own oil refineries,” explained Francis.

He pointed to a secret system in which low-quality gasoline was imported from Russia to Malta, where it was blended and then shipped to Nigeria.

“These illegal activities threaten our collective health and the well-being of the environment,” he added.

CEFRAN also criticized Matrix Energy for prioritizing its profits over the welfare and safety of Nigerians and accused the company of complicity in the import and distribution of the contaminated fuel.

“Their actions are an example of a reprehensible disregard for human life,” Francis noted.

In addition to the demand for the suspension of Abdulkabir Adisa AliuOwner of Matrix Energy and member of the Presidential Economic Coordination Council, CEFRAN called on the President Bola Tinubu to establish an independent management team for NNPCL.

This team would oversee a thorough investigation into the fuel scandal and ensure accountability and justice.