Scores of protesters under the banner of Concerned Citizens Against Corruption (CCAC) on Tuesday stormed the Federal Ministry of Justice Headquarters in Abuja, calling on the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to launch an investigation into alleged corrupt practices under the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari.
The protest comes weeks after President Bola Tinubu removed Kyari and the entire NNPCL board on April 2, 2025, a move that drew public applause but, according to the group, failed to address deeper issues of accountability.
Speaking during the protest, CCAC Convener Comrade Kabir Matazu accused the Kyari-led administration of gross mismanagement and opaque transactions, particularly regarding the rehabilitation and restructuring of government-owned refineries. He cited conflicting figures, including a $1.5 billion federal approval for the Port Harcourt Refinery’s repairs and an additional $400 million reportedly invested by Matrix Energy Limited, despite a lack of transparency.
The group further alleged that the NNPCL is indebted to Matrix Energy to the tune of over $2 billion, with the debt allegedly being serviced through daily crude oil allocations without proper accountability or disclosure.
“There are posers that require urgent clarifications,” Matazu said. “Why and how is the Federal Government, through the NNPCL, owing Matrix Energy $2 billion? Why is the debt being paid with crude oil supplies? Who negotiated this deal and why are Nigerians in the dark?”
The CCAC submitted a formal petition to the AGF, demanding a judicial review of all agreements entered under Kyari’s leadership and the establishment of a commission of inquiry to investigate how refinery repair contracts were awarded and executed.
They maintained that probing these transactions could aid in recovering public funds and serve as a preventive measure against similar mismanagement by current and future leadership.
“The Federal Government must account for how billions of dollars were spent under Kyari’s watch,” the group stressed, adding that the findings could help steer Nigeria out of its current economic challenges.
As of press time, the AGF’s office has yet to issue an official response to the petition or the protesters’ demands.
