Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Protesters, Tuesday, stormed the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), demanding the immediate probe of the former Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari.
The protesters who converged under the guise of Concerned Citizens Against Corruption, also demanded a thorough investigation into NNPCL’s transactions over the past five years.
The leader of the protesters, Kabir Matazu, expressed disappointment that, “despite President Bola Tinubu’s removal of Kyari and the entire NNPCL board on April 2, 2025, no steps have been taken to investigate the alleged corrupt practices during Kyari’s tenure.”
The protesters who demanded accountability over the billions of Naira spent by NNPCL under the watch of Kyari for the renovation of refineries, also called for the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry to probe NNPCL under Kyari.
They expressed shock that NNPCL is reportedly indebted to Matrix Energy to the tune of over $2 billion, with the debt being serviced through daily crude oil allocations.
Matazu said: “It is on record that the removal of the erstwhile leadership of the NNPCL was widely applauded by Nigerians, especially groups like ours that have been at the forefront of demanding accountability and transparency in the management of institutions.
“It is also notable that Kyari’s leadership of the NNPCL was plagued by numerous allegations of corruption due to a lack of transparency. Nigerians are disillusioned that the President has only stopped at removing the former leadership without initiating steps to investigate Kyari and his team’s management of the organisation.
“A key issue is the alleged fraud surrounding the rehabilitation and recommissioning of government-owned refineries. The figures and facts simply do not add up.
“In addition to the billions of dollars claimed to have been spent on refinery repairs, Kyari’s administration also alleged that Matrix Energy Limited invested $400 million in rehabilitating the Port Harcourt Refinery, even though the Federal Executive Council approved $1.5 billion for the same facility.
“More perplexingly, the NNPCL is now reportedly indebted to Matrix Energy by over $2 billion. This debt is being serviced through daily crude oil allocations to Matrix Energy, for which no payments are being made.
“This situation raises urgent questions: Why and how is the Federal Government, through the NNPCL, indebted to Matrix Energy for $2 billion? Why is the debt being serviced with daily crude oil supplies? Who were the parties involved in negotiating this deal? Why are Nigerians being kept in the dark about these agreements.
“An investigation into these transactions would help the government identify funds that need to be recovered and from whom, especially considering Nigeria’s dire economic condition.
“Furthermore, such an investigation would ensure that the current leadership is held accountable and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past,” Matazu said.
The group also urged the AGF to immediately review all agreements entered into by the NNPCL during Kyari’s administration.
“This investigation should uncover the Federal Government’s financial losses and recommend actionable steps to recover these funds. We demand an immediate judicial review,” Matazu stated.
