Niger Delta Youths Issues Ultimatum Over Refinery Shutdown And NNPCL Crisis

Tension is rising in the oil-rich Niger Delta after a coalition of youth leaders accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, under Bayo Ojulari’s leadership, of corruption, mismanagement, refinery sabotage and mass job cuts.

The Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum, made up of representatives across the region, gave a seven-day ultimatum on Friday demanding the removal and prosecution of the Ojulari-led management. They warned that failure to act would provoke mass action with consequences for national peace.

The group alleged that Ojulari diverted $21 million of NNPCL funds into a private account linked to his associate, Abdullahi Bashir Haske, who is already under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. They also accused him of shutting down the Port Harcourt refinery on May 24, just months after it was reopened in December 2024 following a $1.5 billion taxpayer-funded rehabilitation, with claims that the shutdown was part of a plan to sell it off as scrap while redirecting crude oil supplies elsewhere.

In addition, the youth leaders said more than 400 workers, many of them from Niger Delta communities, were illegally dismissed, worsening unemployment and fuelling anger in the region. They described the actions as economic sabotage that has deepened poverty and frustration among oil-producing states.

The Forum declared that Ojulari’s continued stay in office is unacceptable and demanded accountability. They further insisted that the next head of NNPCL must come from the Niger Delta, arguing that the region has experienced professionals capable of managing the corporation with fairness and integrity.

They warned that if government fails to act within the ultimatum, the fragile peace in the region could collapse, as youths may be forced into protests and actions that would disrupt oil and gas operations across the country.

The standoff adds to growing controversies around the NNPCL and raises new questions about transparency in the management of Nigeria’s most important revenue sector.