Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, has challenged the President of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Company, Aliko Dangote to provide evidence of his involvement or any member of staff of the national oil company operating a blending plant in Malta.
Kyari’s response comes in the wake of Dangote’s allegation that some personnel of NNPC Ltd, oil traders and terminals have opened a blending plant in Malta.
According to reports, Dangote had claimed that “Some of the terminals, some of the NNPC people and some traders have opened a blending plant somewhere off Malta.”
Reacting, Kyari in a statment via his verified handle on X.com clarified that he does not own nor operate any business anywhere in the world with the exception of a local mini agric venture.
The NNPC Ltd Boss also explained that he is not aware of any employee of the NNPC who owns or operates a blending plant in Malta or anywhere else in the world.
He said the claim by Dangote has grave implications for national energy security and challenged him to disclose the identity of such individuals to relevant government security agencies for necessary actions.
The post reads, ”I am inundated by enquiries from family members, friends and associates on the public declaration by the President of Dangote Group that some NNPC workers have established a blending plant in Malta thereby impeding procurements from local production of Petroleum products.
“To clarify the allegations regarding blending plant, I do not own or operate any business directly or by proxy anywhere in the world with the exception of a local mini Agric venture. Neither am I aware of any employee of the NNPC, that owns or operates a blending plant in Malta or anywhere else in the world.
“A blending plant in Malta or any part of the world has no influence over NNPC’s business operations and strategic actions.
“For further assurance, our compliance sanction grid shall apply to any NNPC employee who is established to be involved in doing so if availed and I strongly recommend that such individuals be declared public and be made known to relevant government security agencies for necessary actions in view of the grave implications for national energy security.”