…Threaten mass action over corruption in oil sector
…Say Tinubu’s sacking of NNPCL boss not enough
A coalition of political parties and over 75 civil society organisations has called on President Bola Tinubu to go beyond the recent sacking of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, by ordering his immediate arrest and instituting a full-scale public judicial probe into the company’s operations.
The coalition, under the joint banner of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs), described the NNPCL under Kyari as a cesspool of “industrial-scale corruption, reckless mismanagement and economic sabotage,” citing ₦210 trillion in unreconciled transactions as a damning indictment of the state oil giant.
Speaking through a press release made available to PLATFORM TIMES on Tuesday, National Publicity Secretary of the CNCSOs, Dr. Agaba Iduh Fidel, said the sacking of Kyari, though commendable, was insufficient in the face of the monumental corruption uncovered at the NNPCL between 2017 and 2023.
“This is not a mere accounting oversight as they want Nigerians to believe,” he declared. “It is a national financial calamity of historic proportions, and Mele Kyari must be arrested and held accountable.”
Dr. Agaba accused Kyari of presiding over a regime of opacity and impunity, pointing out that the NNPCL had refused to respond to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted between April and May 2025 seeking details of contracts and expenditures, especially those related to the over $4 billion spent on refinery rehabilitation projects.
He further recalled the controversial recruitment of hundreds of staff into the dormant Port Harcourt refinery in 2021, saying it cost the nation billions of naira in salaries for a non-functional facility.
The coalition also revisited the 2024 contaminated fuel scandal and longstanding allegations of sabotage of domestic refining capacity in favour of fuel import cartels, which they say flourished under Kyari’s leadership.
Adding to the weight of the allegations, Dr. Agaba cited multiple audit red flags, including:₦210 trillion in unreconciled transactions flagged in NNPCL’s audited accounts ; $7.2 billion allegedly misused in refinery rehabilitation projects ; unresolved crude swap discrepancies ;billions unaccounted for as flagged by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) ; and NNPCL’s refusal to honour Senate invitations to account for missing funds.
“NNPCL’s decision to ignore a Senate Committee summons while attending a management retreat is not just arrogant—it is a slap in the face of every suffering Nigerian,” he said.
The coalition also reignited calls for a thorough investigation into the alleged illegal sale of 48 million barrels of Bonny Light crude oil in 2015, during Kyari’s tenure as Group General Manager of Crude Oil Marketing Division at the then-NNPC.
They demanded accountability for the transaction, including details on the sale, proceeds, and the individuals involved.
While acknowledging President Tinubu’s boldness in removing the NNPCL leadership, the coalition said that Nigerians expect more than symbolic actions.
“What the country needs is a complete purge of the corrupt oil sector cabal. Without that, your $1 trillion economy target will remain a pipe dream,” the coalition warned.
Dr. Agaba announced that the coalition was issuing a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to take decisive action, failing which they would embark on mass mobilisations, international petitions, lawsuits, and global media campaigns to expose the rot in Nigeria’s oil industry.
“This is no longer about personalities. It’s about dismantling a system that has robbed Nigerians of their future,” he said. “The time to act is now. The world is watching. Nigerians are watching. And history will be the judge.”
President Tinubu recently sacked Mele Kyari alongside the entire management of NNPCL in what the presidency described as a move to reset the oil sector. However, there has been no announcement yet of further investigations or legal actions against the ousted officials.
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