The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been urged to publish an interim report on its ongoing probe into the alleged $4 billion fraud linked to the abandoned rehabilitation of Nigeria’s three major refineries — Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna.

The demand was made on Wednesday by the Concerned Nigerians for Transparency and Justice (CNTJ) in a statement signed by Comrade Obinna Francis and Adamu Musa.

According to the group, the EFCC launched the probe nearly six months ago, but no progress report has been made public. They argued that Nigerians deserve to know the status of the investigation, given its implications on the economy.

“Six months is sufficient time for Nigerians to be informed about the progress of the probe and any funds recovered,” CNTJ stated.

The group expressed concern that despite multiple commissioning ceremonies, the refineries remain non-functional, while fuel imports continue to drive up prices and inflation.

CNTJ further alleged that $1 billion from the refinery funds may have been diverted to finance the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2023 election campaign, a claim it said the EFCC must urgently address.

“If $1 billion went into campaign activities, then Nigerians must be told: what became of the remaining $3 billion? Who authorised such disbursements? Into whose accounts were these sums transferred?” the statement read.

 

The coalition noted that at current exchange rates, the missing funds amount to trillions of naira, enough to finance substantial portions of the federal budget, reduce debt, or provide relief to struggling families.

While commending the EFCC for initiating the probe, CNTJ described the investigation as a litmus test of the agency’s credibility, urging it to publish a detailed update on how much has been traced, recovered, or disbursed so far.

“Failure to provide clarity risks eroding public confidence in governance, particularly at a time when Nigerians are bearing the brunt of economic mismanagement,” CNTJ warned.

The group called for immediate prosecution of anyone found culpable once credible evidence of wrongdoing is established.