Nigerians have been given the assurance that Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, will be the subject of the requested investigation by Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
In her speech to a group of attorneys who marched to the Federal Ministry of Justice on Wednesday to present a petition demanding Kyari’s quick investigation and arrest, Winifred Adekunle, a deputy director of the ministry, provided the assurance on behalf of the AGF.
Nigerians are demanding Kyari’s investigation into corruption claims at the AGF’s office for the second day in a row.
Using the banner of “Concerned Citizens Against Corruption,” a group of demonstrators stormed the AGF’s office on Tuesday, demanding a comprehensive probe of the transactions between Kyari and NNPCL over the previous five years, according to newsline.
Adekunle said during her speech, “Your petition will be given prompt attention. You will receive a response, and any queries you have raised will be suitably addressed. Rest confident you can trust the Solicitor General and the Attorney General. Everything you have asked for will be taken care of.
To demand Kyari’s investigation, arrest, and prosecution, a group of attorneys from the “Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law” marched to the AGF’s office on Wednesday.
Emmanuel Agada, the group’s convener, and Jonathan Uchendu, the national secretary, co-signed the petition, which was dated April 23, 2025, and claimed that Kyari’s chairmanship of the NNPCL was rife with corruption accusations.
While Nigerians resorted to the streets to demand Kyari’s dismissal, the lawyers pointed out that Nigerians are disappointed that President Bola Tinubu did not take prompt, deliberate action to look into Kyari’s actions.
The attorneys cited potential fraud in the re-streaming and rehabilitation of government-owned refineries, where investments are said to be out of line with the outcomes.
The Kyari-led administration’s assertion that Matrix Energy Limited invested $400 million in the Port Harcourt Refinery, despite the project’s $1.5 billion Federal Executive Council approval, was one of the disparities they emphasized.
Additional claims include the NNPCL’s $2 billion debt to Matrix Energy, which is allegedly paid off with 80,000 barrels of crude oil every day.
The group questioned the reasons for these transactions and the lack of notification to Nigerians.
The group asked how and why the Federal Government owes Matrix Oil $2 billion through the NNPCL.
They also wanted an explanation for the use of crude oil allocations to pay down the debt.
The lawyers also asked why the public was not informed about the negotiations and who the parties involved were.
The petitioners went on to request that the AGF “examine all agreements made by the NNPCL during Kyari’s rule.” Examine the transactions to find the guilty parties and retrieve the money that was stolen.
“Start a fact-finding inquiry to estimate the monetary losses and suggest corrective actions. Form a commission to investigate how Kyari and the fired board handled refinery repairs at NNPCL.
The group highlighted that such actions would ensure responsibility, deter future misbehavior, and prevent a recurrence of past mistakes while they confirmed their commitment to assist the AGF in undertaking a thorough and exhaustive inquiry.
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