BREAKING: NNPCL GCEO, Ojulari faces suspension from office over money laundering, assets violation

The Abuja High Court commences hearing of an injunction seeking to order President Bola Tinubu to suspend NNPCL GCEO Bayo Ojulari and to order the EFCC to investigate him, after a 14-day ultimatum to defend himself.

The NNPCL GCEO, Bayo Ojulari, on Friday narrowly escaped being suspended from office at the resumed hearing of the suit filed at the Abuja High Court, where the plaintiff, an anti-corruption campaign organisation, is seeking an order of the Court to order the President to suspend Ojulari from office and appoint an interim GCEO pending the conclusion of the investigation.

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They are also asking the Court to refer him to EFCC for investigation, arrest, and prosecution. At the hearing, which was presided over by Justice Madugu, the plaintiff moved their ex parte application seeking an immediate injunction to bar Bayo Ojulari from parading as GCEO pending conclusion of the suit and for the President to
appoint an acting GCEO until the case of alleged money laundering and violation of assets declaration is concluded.

The plaintiff also sought an accelerated hearing to expedite the conclusion of the case and to permit service by substituted means.

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The well-respected Jurist, in his rulings, granted the order for a speedy and accelerated hearing for the immediate determination of the suit, as well as for the use of substituted means of service.

The judge, ruling on the ex parte application, ordered that Ojulari be given a 14-day grace period to provide cogent reasons why the order seeking to suspend him from office and refer him to the EFCC for proper investigation, arrest, and prosecution over allegations of money laundering and other financial crimes should not be granted.

The judge, while adjourning for the final hearing, ordered the State Oil company boss, Ojulari, to hurriedly file his defence within the next 14 days, which is just remaining 10 days now, to show why the Court should not grant the plaintiff prayers that he should be restrained from parading as GCEO until the investigation is concluded to avoid obstruction of the investigation.

It will be recalled that a few weeks ago, an anti-corruption crusade group, Civic Obligation, instituted an action at the Abuja High Court where they are seeking a detailed investigation by EFCC and other security agencies against the GCEO for alleged cases of money laundering, operation of foreign accounts, and non-asset declaration.

The plaintiff argued that allowing Ojulari to remain in office would hamper the investigation; hence, the need to suspend him and for the President to appoint an acting GCEO pending the conclusion of the investigation.

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