Lawyers Demand Probe into Mele Kyari's $4 Billion Refinery Spending

A coalition of Nigerian lawyers, operating under the banner of Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law, has petitioned the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, demanding an urgent judicial inquiry into the tenure of Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).  

The group, led by Barrister Benjamin Theophilus, alleges that over $4 billion was spent on the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries under Kyari's leadership.  They claim this expenditure is significantly inflated compared to a prior $1 billion proposal by private firms to rehabilitate the same refineries.  

The petition also raises concerns about alleged diversion of crude oil allocations, financial irregularities in the $5 billion AKK Gas Pipeline Project, fuel subsidy fraud, and disadvantageous crude-backed loans totaling $21.565 billion since 2019.  

In addition to the petition to the Finance Ministry, the coalition has submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the NNPCL, seeking comprehensive details on refinery rehabilitation projects and other financial dealings during Kyari's tenure.  

The group is calling for the establishment of an independent Judicial Commission of Inquiry, led by retired Supreme Court justices, to investigate these allegations and ensure accountability in the petroleum sector.