Arewa Vanguard Condemns Attacks on NNPCL CFO, Segun, Warns Against Ethnic Tensions

The Arewa Progressive Vanguard (APV), a socio-political network comprising members across the 19 northern states and the diaspora, has cautioned individuals, groups, and associations against further attacks on the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr.

Mr. Segun, appointed CFO in November 2024, has faced sustained criticism from various quarters. While some have dragged him to court, others have faulted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for excluding him from its ongoing investigation into the alleged mismanagement of Port Harcourt refinery funds.

In a statement issued Thursday and signed by its Global President, Alhaji Idris Musa, the APV condemned calls for Mr. Segun’s resignation, warning that such attacks amount to distractions and risk inflaming ethnic tensions.

The group stressed that the NNPCL, being a highly strategic and sensitive institution, requires stability at the leadership level. It noted that the CFO’s office is critical to national economic growth and therefore demands calmness, serenity, and peace to ensure effective performance.

“We recently read reports alleging that the EFCC excluded Mr. Segun from its probe because he is Yoruba. Such claims are myopic, insensitive, and dangerously inflammatory,” the group stated.

“As a reputable organization committed to peace, unity, and development in Northern Nigeria, we must emphasize that corruption has no tribe or region. The EFCC is a professional agency that does not require validation from any group before carrying out its mandate. If Mr. Segun is found culpable, the EFCC will not spare him. However, we must avoid stoking ethnic sentiments where none exists.”

The APV further warned against using ethnic narratives to destabilize national institutions, reminding Nigerians of the dangers of divisive rhetoric.

“We cannot afford another civil conflict. Let us allow institutions empowered to investigate and prosecute to do their work without interference. Resorting to social media trials and blackmail only undermines our collective progress,” the statement read.

The group reiterated that while Mr. Segun should face the law if proven guilty, he must not be subjected to blackmail or used as a pawn for ethnic or political sabotage.