Kachikwu’s letter: SERAP asks Buhari to suspend NNPC GMD

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a civil society group, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the Group Managing Director Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru, if the allegations of corruption were established against him.
Ahead of the probe, the group asked Buhari to suspend the NNPC GMD from office so as to reinforce public confidence in the anti-corruption war.
SERAP made the call yesterday in an open letter to the president over the leaked letter by the Minister of state for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, in which he accused Baru of insubordination and breach of due process in contract awards and appointments.
In the letter, signed by its executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, the group urged Buhari to “urgently refer the allegations of corruption and abuse of office against Baru to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for investigation.”
It also urged the president to “suspend Baru pending the referral to the EFCC and ICPC, and the outcome of any investigation by the anti-corruption agencies in order not to create the impression that your government is treating Mr Baru as a sacred cow.”
It said: “We urge you not to allow the allegations against Mr. Baru go the way of past inconclusive investigations of allegations of massive corruption within the NNPC.”
In the letter Kachikwu had alleged among others, appointments and postings in NNPC without due process; award of contracts above $20million without following the legal and procedural requirements for such contracts, including the crude term contracts, valued at over $10billion.
Already the Senate has reacted when the upper house set up an ad-hoc committee to probe Baru over the content of the letter.