A coalition of legal practitioners under the banner of Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law staged a protest on Wednesday at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, calling for the urgent investigation of Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The protest, which entered its second day, drew over 500 lawyers determined to press for accountability over what they described as widespread financial irregularities during Kyari’s tenure.
Lawyers submit petition to AGF
The protesting lawyers submitted a formal petition to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, alleging that Kyari’s leadership was riddled with questionable transactions, particularly in relation to the government’s controversial refinery rehabilitation projects.
According to the petition co-signed by Barristers Emmanuel Agada and Jonathan Uchendu, billions of dollars were funneled into revamping state-owned refineries without clear results or transparency in expenditure.
Central to their grievance is the case involving Matrix Energy Limited, a private firm that allegedly invested $400 million in the Port Harcourt Refinery’s rehabilitation.
This investment, they noted, stood in sharp contrast to the Federal Executive Council’s earlier approval of $1.5 billion for the same project.
Despite this, the NNPCL is now said to owe Matrix Energy over $2 billion, with payments being made in crude allocations that reportedly lack proper financial accountability.
AGF urged to look into alleged mismanagement
The petitioners urged the AGF to initiate a comprehensive review of all contracts and agreements signed during Kyari’s administration.
They also demanded the establishment of a commission of inquiry to probe the alleged mismanagement of the refinery repair funds and to track potential financial losses to the state.
“The Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law strongly believe that getting to the root of this matter will help the Federal Government to account for how public resources were squandered,” the petition read in part.
It added that a thorough investigation would not only enable the recovery of lost funds but also help prevent a repeat of such alleged malpractice under future administrations.
While receiving the petition, Winifred Adekunle, a Deputy Director in the AGF’s office, acknowledged the concerns raised and assured the protesters that the document would be delivered to the Justice Minister. She further pledged that the ministry would act promptly on the matter.
Thousands protest at justice ministry
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that thousands of demonstrators flooded the premises of the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja on Tuesday to demand immediate legal action against Mele Kyari, the recently dismissed Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The protest, spearheaded by a civic coalition known as Concerned Citizens Against Corruption, urged the Attorney General of the Federation to launch a comprehensive probe into NNPCL’s financial operations over the last five years.
