A group of attorneys and civil rights activists stormed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) Abuja headquarters on Wednesday in response to the alleged $4 billion refinery rehabilitation scandal involving Mele Kyari, a former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). Under the aegis of Concerned Lawyers and Citizens Network, or CLCN, the group called the $4 billion allegedly wasted on unsuccessful refinery rehabilitation projects economic treason and accused the anti-graft agency of cover-up. BarrTheophilus Ojonugwa, a CLCN spokesperson, representing the demonstrators, called for a forensic investigation to identify funds that had been embezzled.
Noting that the scandal has prolonged Nigeria’s dependence on pricey imported petroleum products, Ojonugwa declared, “This is not just a financial crime; it is an assault on human dignity and a subversion of national development.”
The lawyers and rights activists connected the $4 billion that was embezzled to jobs lost, hospitals that were not equipped, and schools that were never built. They characterized the purported misappropriation as a breach of trust between generations.
The EFCC was criticized by CLCN for its “romance with corruption” and selective prosecution, pointing out that young Nigerians are punished more severely for minor infractions.
Ojonugwa emphasized that justice must be unyielding and blind, cautioning that if the $4 billion refinery scandal is handled lightly, Nigeria’s reputation as a “sanctuary for looters” could be further cemented.
The group demanded that all assets connected to the scandal be seized, that indicted individuals be prosecuted, and that arrests be made immediately.
Similarly, to guarantee transparency in the case, the Concerned Lawyers and Citizens Network suggested an independent forensic audit conducted by respectable international firms.
The group called on President Bola Tinubu to make the scandal a “watershed moment” in Nigeria’s battle against impunity in order to keep his anti-corruption pledge.
Ojonugwa bemoaned, “Nigeria would be self-sufficient in refining today if $4 billion had been properly invested,” highlighting the scandal’s dual tragedy of lost money and ongoing energy poverty.
Speaking to the EFCC, the attorneys and rights advocates warned that Nigerians would hold the organization responsible and demanded swift action to rebuild public confidence.
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