Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has promised Nigerians that Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), will be the subject of an investigation as the public has asked.
This declaration, according to Naija News, comes as demonstrations outside the Attorney General’s office have intensified, demanding a comprehensive examination of Kyari’s leadership and conduct during his term.
In her speech to a group of attorneys who marched to the Federal Ministry of Justice’s grounds on Wednesday, Winifred Adekunle, a deputy director at the ministry, provided the assurance on behalf of the AGF.
Due to accusations of corruption, the demonstrators had filed a petition demanding Kyari’s immediate inquiry and arrest.
“Your petition will receive immediate attention,” Adekunle assured the gathering. Any questions you have will be properly addressed, and there will be a response. Rest assured that you may trust the Attorney General and the Solicitor General. We will take care of whatever you have asked for.
The demonstrations outside the AGF’s office are in their second day. A group of demonstrators calling themselves “Concerned Citizens Against Corruption” assembled on Tuesday and called for a comprehensive examination of Kyari and NNPCL’s operations throughout the previous five years.
Their appeal is motivated by a more general worry about accusations of wrongdoing connected to Kyari’s leadership of the state oil corporation.
A different group of attorneys, referred to as the “Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law,” also marched to the AGF’s office on Wednesday in order to file a petition.
Emmanuel Agada, the group’s leader, and Jonathan Uchendu, the national secretary, co-signed the petition, which was dated April 23, 2025.
According to the lawyers, Kyari’s leadership at NNPCL was tainted by corruption, and the misuse of cash was made possible in large part by his opaque management style.
They expressed discontent that while President Bola Tinubu removed Kyari from office following public outcry, no immediate investigation was launched.
The lawyers raised concerns about alleged fraud in the rehabilitation and re-streaming of government-owned refineries, claiming that the funds spent did not align with the results.
Among the allegations, the lawyers pointed to discrepancies in NNPCL’s claim that Matrix Energy Limited invested $400 million in the Port Harcourt Refinery, despite the Federal Executive Council approving $1.5 billion for the same project.
Further concerns were raised about a debt of over $2 billion owed by NNPCL to Matrix Energy, which was purportedly being serviced through daily crude oil allocations of 80,000 barrels.
The lawyers questioned why these transactions were conducted without public knowledge and demanded an explanation for the Federal Government’s indebtedness to Matrix Oil.
They also sought clarity on the negotiations, specifically who the parties were and why the public was kept in the dark about these critical details.
The petitioners urged the AGF to review all agreements entered into by NNPCL under Kyari’s leadership and to investigate these transactions in order to recover any misappropriated funds. They called for a fact-finding investigation to quantify the financial losses and recommend steps for recovery.
The attorneys also pushed for the creation of a commission to investigate how the dismissed NNPCL board and Kyari’s administration handled refinery maintenance.
They emphasized that taking such measures will guarantee accountability, discourage wrongdoing in the future, and stop similar problems from happening again.
The group concluded by underscoring the significance of reestablishing public confidence and guaranteeing that justice is done, and reaffirming their willingness to assist the AGF in ensuring a thorough and transparent inquiry.
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