The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has given assurances that former Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, will be investigated over multiple corruption allegations arising from his time in office.
The pledge came in response to mounting public pressure and formal petitions submitted to the Ministry of Justice by two civil society groups—Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law and Concerned Citizens Against Corruption.
Speaking on behalf of the Attorney General, Deputy Director Winifred Adekunle said the ministry is committed to transparency and accountability, affirming that “whatever questions you have asked will be addressed appropriately.”
This followed a protest march on April 23, 2025, by members of the Guardians of Democracy, who submitted a detailed petition demanding an urgent investigation into Kyari’s activities at NNPCL.
In a parallel demonstration, protesters under the Concerned Citizens Against Corruption staged a two-day sit-in at the Ministry of Justice headquarters in Abuja, chanting anti-corruption slogans and urging the federal government to act decisively.
The petitioners accuse Kyari of presiding over a shadowy era of questionable transactions, including:
Allegedly facilitating a suspicious $400 million refinery rehabilitation deal with Matrix Energy, despite an earlier $1.5 billion FEC-approved budget for the same project.
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Authorising the controversial servicing of a $2 billion debt through crude oil allocations without transparent disclosures.
Entering agreements that may have resulted in significant revenue losses for Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
The petitioners are calling for a thorough review of all agreements signed under Kyari’s administration, the establishment of a fact-finding committee to determine potential financial losses, and the launch of a commission of inquiry to recover any misappropriated funds.
Mele Kyari, who served as NNPCL GCEO from 2019 until early 2025, has yet to publicly respond to the allegations.
As the government faces growing calls for reform in the oil and gas sector, civil society groups say the handling of Kyari’s case will be a litmus test of President Bola Tinubu’s anti-corruption credentials.