The Network of Oil Producing Communities in Nigeria (NOPCN) has accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) of misleading Nigerians and the President over the operations of the Port Harcourt Refinery. The group is demanding the removal of the NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mallam Mele Kyari, for his alleged role in the controversy.
In a statement signed by its President, Igeniwari Edward, and Comrade Omototsho Ogbe, the NOPCN alleged that the petroleum products claimed to be from the newly rehabilitated refinery were not freshly refined but “dead stocks” stored since 2016.
The Secretary of the Alesa Community Stakeholders, Timothy Mgbere, supported these claims, stating that the NNPCL evacuated the dead stocks to create the impression of ongoing refinery operations.
“Deception Exposed,” Says NOPCN
The group criticized the NNPCL for shutting down the refinery shortly after its alleged rehabilitation, claiming the corporation “ran out of lies.” The statement read:
“It doesn’t surprise us that the NNPCL shut down the refinery sooner than they claimed it was operational. They ran out of lies and couldn’t deceive the President any further. Kyari should be sober now, especially after the much-celebrated 60,000 bpd capacity section of the refinery was shut down two days ago.”
The group also urged the President to sack Kyari and investigate the alleged mismanagement of over N17 trillion invested in the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries.
Call to Action Against Environmental Hazards
The NOPCN also voiced its opposition to converting any of the refineries into blending plants, citing concerns about environmental degradation from oil exploration and bunkering activities. “Kyari should deliver exactly what the government paid for and stop undermining our leaders in host communities,” the statement concluded.
Refinery Operations Questioned
Further allegations emerged during a national television interview, where Timothy Mgbere revealed that only six trucks of petroleum products were loaded on a day the NNPCL claimed it would load 200. He alleged that the remaining trucks were filled with off-spec products and dead stock.
Alesa, the host community of the refinery in Eleme, Rivers State, has been a focal point of these disputes.
Operations Still Limited
An exclusive report from SaharaReporters confirmed that while the refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) remains operational, it can only produce naphtha, kerosene, and diesel, leaving the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) unachievable.
A senior official disclosed that the refinery’s full processing capacity of 150,000 barrels per day might not be achieved until 2026, with the project already exceeding $2 billion in costs.
