The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has firmly denied reports alleging that its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, abducted the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd (NNPCL) and forced him to sign a resignation letter. The anti-corruption agency has described the claims as entirely false, malicious, and damaging.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, the EFCC responded to a report by People’s Gazette, which claimed that Olukoyede, along with Department of State Services (DSS) Director General Adeola Ajayi, coerced NNPCL GCEO Bayo Ojulari into signing a resignation letter during a secret meeting in Abuja. The EFCC dismissed the article as “sensational and poorly sourced” and has demanded a public retraction and unreserved apology within 48 hours.
“Against the furore generated by an unsubstantiated report by an online portal, People’s Gazette… the EFCC’s boss has demanded a retraction of the story and public apology within 48 hours,” the statement read.
According to the EFCC, the story also contained additional unverified claims suggesting that Ojulari was interrogated about his knowledge of Olatimbo Ayinde, a British-Nigerian oil businesswoman allegedly wielding significant influence in the current administration. The report further claimed that Ojulari was summoned to the Presidential Villa, where First Lady Remi Tinubu refused to accept his resignation and that the coercion allegedly came under the directive of Ayinde, described as a close associate of President Bola Tinubu.
Reacting to the claims, Olukoyede, through his legal counsel Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), issued a formal letter to the Editor of People’s Gazette, describing the publication as “uncharitable and capable of casting him in the mould of someone who has betrayed and subverted public trust.”
The letter also stated: “The publications and the imputations conveyed by them are so damning and cannot be ignored or treated with levity.”
Olukoyede’s counsel demanded that the online platform:
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Admit that the report is false,
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Apologise unreservedly,
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Retract the story from all platforms, including the website and social media.
The legal team warned that failure to meet these demands would result in legal action. “A Writ in the tort of defamation will be issued to afford you an opportunity to prove your disparagement of my client’s character and reputation, especially in relation to the office he holds as Chairman of the EFCC,” the letter warned.
This development highlights the growing tension between public officials and online media platforms over the publication of unverified stories, especially those capable of undermining public trust in key institutions.
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