Three former managing directors of Nigeria’s major refineries are demanding ₦50 billion in damages from a national newspaper over what they describe as a “malicious and unfounded” report linking them to an ₦80 billion fraud scandal.
The ex-refinery heads—Ibrahim Onoja (Port Harcourt Refining Company), Efifia Chu (Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company), and Dr. Mustafa Sugnugun (Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company)—issued a five-day ultimatum through their legal counsel, Reuben Atabo, SAN, seeking a full retraction, public apology, and compensation.
At the center of the controversy is a May 3 publication titled “Authorities Trace ₦80bn to Ex-MD as $3bn Fraud Rocks Nigerian Refineries”, which the plaintiffs say falsely implicated them in a financial scandal involving the mismanagement of $2.96 billion earmarked for refinery repairs.
“No ₦80 billion exists in any of our clients’ accounts,” Atabo stated. “No arrest, no EFCC probe, and no charges have ever been filed. This article is baseless and defamatory.”
The former MDs argue the story not only misled the public but also severely damaged their professional reputations, built over decades of service in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Their legal team is demanding the retraction and apology be published in five national newspapers and five international outlets, warning that failure to comply will trigger legal proceedings in both Nigeria and abroad.
Atabo added, “We will pursue full legal redress for this reckless publication. It irresponsibly blamed our clients for Nigeria’s fuel crisis without evidence and attempted to destroy their careers.” CONTINUE READING..
Leave a Reply