Protesters on Tuesday, under the banner of the Concerned Citizens Against Corruption stormed the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, demanding the probe and prosecution of the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.
The protest, led by the group’s Convener, Comrade Kabir Matazu, followed the recent removal of Kyari and the entire NNPCL board by President Bola Tinubu on April 2.
Despite the sweeping dismissal, the group expressed outrage that no investigative steps had been taken against Kyari or into the company’s financial dealings over the past five years.
Matazu cited numerous allegations of corruption and lack of transparency during Kyari’s tenure, particularly concerning the controversial rehabilitation and restreaming of Nigeria’s government-owned refineries.
“It is on record that this sack of the erstwhile corrupt leadership of the NNPCL drew applause from Nigerians, especially groups like ours, which have long demanded accountability and transparency,” Matazu stated during the protest.
The group raised alarms over alleged financial irregularities, including the claim that Matrix Energy Limited invested $400 million in the Port Harcourt Refinery, despite an earlier Federal Executive Council approval of $1.5 billion for the same project.
Even more troubling, they alleged that NNPCL currently owes Matrix Energy over $2 billion, a debt reportedly being serviced through daily crude oil allocations rather than monetary repayment.
“There are consequently posers that require urgent clarifications,” Matazu said. “Why and how is the federal government through the NNPCL owing Matrix Oil $2 billion?
“Why is the debt being paid with daily supply of crude oil? Who were the parties to the negotiations of this deal? Why are Nigerians being kept in the dark?”
The protesters insisted that unraveling the details of these questionable transactions is crucial for the recovery of public funds and the enforcement of accountability.
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They called for a judicial review of all agreements signed by NNPCL under Kyari’s leadership and urged the justice minister to recommend the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the company’s handling of refinery repairs.
According to the group, such steps would not only help recoup mismanaged funds but also establish a precedent of accountability for current and future leadership of the national oil company.
“Investigating all that transpired will help prevent Nigeria from being trapped in a cycle of recurring failures and mismanagement,” the group emphasised.
The protesters vowed to sustain pressure on the government until concrete actions are taken.
They also pledged to remain vocal in their campaign for accountability in public institutions, stressing that Nigerians deserve to know the truth behind what they described as “endless corruption” under Kyari’s tenure.
