The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has promised Nigerians that Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, will be probed as requested.
Winifred Adekunle, a deputy director of the Federal Ministry of Justice, issued the guarantee on behalf of the AGF in an address to a group of lawyers who marched to the ministry on Wednesday to submit a petition seeking Kyari’s urgent investigation and arrest.
Today marks the second day of Nigerian protests at the AGF’s office, demanding Kyari’s investigation into corruption charges.
Chronicle NG reports that a group of protesters under the banner of “Concerned Citizens Against Corruption” stormed the AGF’s office, calling for a thorough investigation into Kyari and NNPCL’s transactions over the past five years.
In her address, Adekunle said, “Your petition will receive immediate attention. There will be a response, and whatever questions you have asked will be addressed appropriately. Be assured that the Attorney General and the Solicitor General are people you can rely on. Whatever you have requested will be addressed.”
On Wednesday, a group of lawyers from the “Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law” marched to the AGF’s office to present a petition calling for Kyari’s investigation, arrest, and prosecution.
The petition, dated April 23, 2025, and signed by the group’s convener, Emmanuel Agada, and National Secretary, Jonathan Uchendu, said that Kyari’s leadership of the NNPCL was rife with corruption claims, facilitated by his opaque management style.
The lawyers stated that Nigerians are dissatisfied that President Bola Tinubu only removed Kyari from his position after Nigerians came to the streets to demand his dismissal and did not take quick and planned actions to investigate him.
The lawyers cited potential fraud in the restoration and re-streaming of government-owned refineries, claiming that cash spent does not match the results.
They pointed out inconsistencies, including the Kyari-led administration’s allegation that Matrix Energy Limited invested $400 million in the Port Harcourt Refinery despite a $1.5 billion Federal Executive Council permission for the project.
Further charges include NNPCL owing Matrix Energy over $2 billion, which is supposedly serviced by daily crude oil allocations of 80,000 barrels.
The group questioned why these transactions occurred and why Nigerians were not informed.
The group questioned why and how the federal government, through the NNPCL, owes Matrix Oil $2 billion. They also asked to know why the debt was being serviced using crude oil allocations.
The lawyers also questioned who was involved in the negotiations and why the public was kept in the dark.
The petitioners proceeded to urge the AGF to “review all agreements entered into by the NNPCL under Kyari’s administration. Investigate the transactions to recover misappropriated funds and identify responsible parties.
“Launch a fact-finding investigation to quantify the financial losses and recommend recovery steps. Establish a commission of inquiry into NNPCL’s handling of refinery repairs under Kyari and the sacked board.”
The group highlighted that such efforts will ensure responsibility, deter future misbehaviour, and prevent the recurrence of previous mistakes, while reaffirming their commitment to assist the AGF in completing an open and thorough inquiry.
