Abuja, Nigeria – Reports have surfaced alleging that the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, was compelled to sign a resignation letter under pressure from top security officials.
According to a report by Peoples Gazette on Saturday, Ojulari was allegedly confronted on Friday by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, and the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Adeola Ajayi.
Sources who spoke with Peoples Gazette claimed that Ojulari was taken and pressured to resign during a session in which he was questioned multiple times about any ties to Olatimbo Ayinde, a British-Nigerian oil magnate believed to have growing influence within the Tinubu administration.
“Mr. Ojulari told us he didn’t know Olatimbo Ayinde,” one source said under the condition of anonymity.
As of Saturday afternoon, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale had not issued an official response regarding the allegations. Similarly, Mr. Ojulari did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
The development comes amid recent claims by NNPCL of internal sabotage targeting the leadership of the state-run oil corporation.
Bayo Ojulari was appointed as NNPCL CEO in April 2025 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, marking a significant leadership change aimed at reforming the oil sector.
More details are expected as the story unfolds.
