Justice J.O Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of ₦3,444,000,000 and three properties linked to Salihu Nuhu Jamari, former Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation's Gas and Power Investment Company Limited. The ruling followed an EFCC motion filed on March 17, 2026, by counsel Ekele Iheanacho (SAN). The forfeited properties include an uncompleted six-bedroom semi-detached duplex with boys' quarters at Plot 3168, Asokoro District, Abuja; a two-bedroom flat at Block 2, Apartment A1, Block EFG, Osborne Phase II, Ikoyi, Lagos; and a restaurant at Plot 102, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.
An interim forfeiture order was granted on February 25, 2026, with public notice given for objections. The EFCC stated the ₦3.44 billion is tied to alleged conspiracy, bribery, kickbacks and money laundering involving NNPC staff and contractors. Jamari's name appeared in a petition dated April 28, 2025, prompting investigations. The agency claims he used his position to secure illicit gains through Cumulus Energy Limited and Pius and Phillips Petroleum Limited, where he was a director and signatory. These firms allegedly received kickbacks from three contractors awarded major NNPCL projects. Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the EFCC had established sufficient grounds for forfeiture.
A former NNPC executive losing ₦3.44 billion and three properties to forfeiture suggests that some within the oil sector still treat public office as a conduit for private enrichment. The fact that Salihu Nuhu Jamari allegedly operated through companies where he was both director and signatory points to weak internal controls in contract management at NNPC subsidiaries. If such cases remain isolated rather than signal a broader purge, the impact on public trust will be minimal. For Nigerians, this underscores how long-delayed accountability can still yield visible outcomes — but only when the EFCC follows through.
