Contrary to recent media speculation, Bayo Ojulari, former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has categorically dismissed reports suggesting he was abducted and forced to resign, describing them as “sensational fiction”.
Ojulari was reacting to an article published by Peoples Gazette, which claimed that his resignation followed a dramatic “abduction” orchestrated by top Nigerian security officials. He has since debunked the entire narrative, asserting that his decision to step down was entirely personal and in line with professional decorum.
> “I was neither arrested nor strong-armed into resigning,” Ojulari said in a statement. “The only pressure I faced was from my conscience and commitment to integrity. My resignation was submitted through the proper channels-not at gunpoint.”
Ojulari recently returned from a government-sanctioned oil and gas conference in Kigali, Rwanda, and confirmed that his disengagement followed consultations with relevant authorities in Abuja. He described the allegations involving EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede and DSS Director-General Adeola Ajayi as “laughable and baseless.”
> “If I were to be forced out, I’d have negotiated a better headline!” he joked, dismissing the Gazette’s tale as “a poorly scripted Nollywood plot.”
The rebuttal also addressed supposed links to British-Nigerian businesswoman Olatimbo Ayinde, which Ojulari labelled as entirely fabricated. “I have no dealings with her, professionally or personally. I built my career on competence, not rumour,” he said.
The NNPCL has continued normal operations, with no internal crisis reported. Industry insiders confirm that Ojulari’s exit was not only orderly but also leaves behind a solid institutional legacy.
> “While some outlets choose clickbait, Nigeria’s energy sector is focused on transparency, performance, and progress,” a senior NNPCL official told.
Ojulari concluded by urging the public to rely on official communications rather than speculative media, quipping: “If I was planning a dramatic exit, there’d at least be a soundtrack and good lighting.”