A group of protesters known as Concerned Citizens Against Corruption gathered outside the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice on Tuesday, demanding the prosecution of Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
The group is also calling for a comprehensive investigation into the company’s activities over the past five years.
The protest, led by Comrade Kabir Matazu, the Convener, expressed frustration that, despite President Bola Tinubu’s dismissal of Kyari and the entire NNPCL board on April 2, 2025, no significant action has been taken to probe the alleged corrupt practices during Kyari’s tenure.
The group specifically raised concerns about the rehabilitation and restreaming of government-owned refineries, citing allegations of billions of dollars being spent without transparency.
They also highlighted a troubling issue where NNPCL reportedly owes Matrix Energy over $2 billion, with the debt being serviced through daily crude oil allocations.
“It is well-documented that the dismissal of the corrupt leadership of NNPCL was widely applauded by Nigerians, particularly groups like ours, who have long called for accountability in the management of national resources,” Matazu said.
He further criticized Kyari’s leadership, stating, “Kyari’s tenure was marred by endless corruption allegations, largely due to the opaque manner in which he managed NNPCL. The way he ran the corporation was more like a racket benefiting his friends and associates.”
Matazu continued, “The way NNPCL was handled became so detrimental to the national economy that Nigerians took to the streets demanding Kyari’s removal, which President Tinubu eventually acknowledged. However, we are deeply disappointed that, while the leadership was removed, no steps have been taken to investigate how Kyari and his associates drained the country’s resources in various ways, which continues to harm the economy.”
A major point of contention for the protesters is the alleged fraud surrounding the rehabilitation of government-owned refineries. They argue that the figures provided by the Kyari-led administration do not add up, particularly regarding the $400 million claimed to have been invested by Matrix Energy in the Port Harcourt Refinery, despite the Federal Executive Council approving $1.5 billion for the same project.
“There are even more troubling issues emerging,” Matazu said. “NNPCL is now reportedly owing Matrix Energy over $2 billion, and this debt is being serviced through daily crude oil allocations to Matrix Energy that are not being paid for.”
The group raised several critical questions: “Why is the federal government, through NNPCL, owing Matrix Energy $2 billion? Why is this debt being settled with daily crude oil allocations? Who were the parties involved in negotiating this deal? Why are Nigerians being kept in the dark about these issues?”
