![The EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, who received the petition, assured that the Commission would review the allegations swiftly. [Facebook]](https://image.api.sportal365.com/process//smp-images-production/pulse.ng/25042025/13e4efbb-7de9-4001-b413-1316307c42aa.jpg?operations=autocrop(1042:580))
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A coalition of lawyers and civil society organisations stormed the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja on Thursday morning with a petition demanding an urgent probe into Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
The group, operating under the name Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law and led by Asika Raymond, accused Kyari of “monumental fraud, tax evasion, economic sabotage, and abuse of office” during his tenure from July 2019 to February 2025.
In their petition, the group alleged massive irregularities in the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s refineries, citing the Port Harcourt Refinery as a key example.
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“Despite initial estimates of $1 billion for the three refineries, the NNPCL under Kyari expended $1.5 billion on just one,” the petition stated.
The petitioners also raised concerns about crude oil allocations being diverted under the guise of “pipeline security” arrangements at a suspicious volume of 80,000 barrels per day.
They claimed this was done without transparency or accountability. Another major point of contention was the AKK Gas Pipeline Project, which was initially valued at $5 billion.
According to the petition, “The project has been riddled with irregularities in the award and execution of contracts, with little physical progress despite several budgetary allocations and foreign financing.”
On fuel subsidies, the group claimed fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While global fuel consumption declined in 2020, Nigeria's fuel imports curiously increased,” they alleged.
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They also highlighted the accumulation of $21.565 billion in crude-backed loans since 2019, stating that “the structure of these loans disadvantaged Nigeria, with future production mortgaged and trading upsides ceded to foreign traders.”
The EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, who received the petition, assured that the Commission would review the allegations swiftly.