The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has assured Nigerians that the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, will be investigated as demanded by the public.
The assurance was conveyed by a Deputy Director at the Ministry of Justice, Winifred Adekunle, who addressed a group of protesting lawyers at the ministry’s premises in Abuja on Wednesday.
“Your petition will receive immediate attention. There will be a response, and whatever questions you have asked will be addressed appropriately,” Adekunle said. “Be assured that the Attorney General and the Solicitor General are people you can rely on. Whatever you have requested will be addressed.”
The protest, which marked the second consecutive day of public demonstrations at the AGF’s office, saw over 500 anti-corruption lawyers under the banner of the Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law demanding Kyari’s investigation and prosecution over alleged financial misconduct during his tenure at NNPCL.
Led by the group’s Convener, Barrister Emmanuel Agada, and National Secretary, Jonathan Uchendu, the lawyers submitted a petition dated April 23, 2025, which highlighted several allegations against Kyari. They accused the former NNPCL boss of operating an opaque management system that enabled widespread corruption within the organization.
According to the petition, “Kyari’s leadership of the NNPCL was plagued with countless allegations of corruption, which were allegedly made inevitable by the opaque way he ran the organization.”
The group specifically cited the rehabilitation of government-owned refineries as a major area of concern. The petition questioned how Matrix Energy Limited reportedly invested $400 million in the Port Harcourt Refinery despite the Federal Executive Council approving $1.5 billion for the same project.
The lawyers claimed that the NNPCL is now indebted to Matrix Energy by over $2 billion, a debt being serviced through daily crude oil allocations without corresponding payments.
Calling for comprehensive action, the petition urged the AGF to review all agreements entered into by the NNPCL under Kyari’s leadership, launch a fact-finding investigation, and recommend steps for fund recovery.
“In view of the facts stated above, we request that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation immediately review all agreements entered by the NNPCL under the Mele Kyari administration,” the petition stated.
“An investigation into the questionable transactions would also point the government in the direction of what funds to recover and from whom. This is sorely needed now, considering Nigeria’s economic condition.”
The petition concluded with a demand for the institution of a commission of inquiry into the NNPCL’s handling of refinery repairs, asserting that accountability in this matter would help prevent future mismanagement.
“The Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law will appreciate it if the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation can escalate the issue to the point where the Federal Government institutes a commission of inquiry,” the petition added.
The protesting lawyers vowed to continue their agitation until Mele Kyari is brought to justice and the truth about the alleged corruption is fully uncovered.