A coalition of civil society organisations from the North-East region, known as the Arewa Coalition for Accountable Leadership (ACAL), has demanded that former Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited boss, Mele Kyari, stop avoiding calls for an investigation into his tenure and instead cooperate with a full judicial probe.
The group made their demand public on Friday in Bauchi through a statement signed by its president, Dr. Aminu Mustapha Shuaibu. According to Shuaibu, Kyari’s alleged use of proxy groups and media campaigns to downplay calls for a probe is raising more questions than answers.
“If he truly believes in the integrity he claims, Mele Kyari should be the loudest voice calling for this probe,” Shuaibu said. “Silence and sponsored distractions only fuel our suspicion.”
The coalition also cautioned against efforts to undermine the push for accountability by sponsoring groups to counter public outcry. Such moves, Shuaibu noted, are “an open confession of guilt” and only make the case for a formal inquiry stronger.
ACAL said the call for transparency in the oil and gas industry has united Nigerians beyond political or regional differences. The coalition stressed that the sector remains crucial to Nigeria’s economy and any mismanagement within it directly affects citizens’ lives.
“The oil and gas sector remains the lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy. If we cannot hold its managers accountable, then we have surrendered our sovereignty to corruption,” Shuaibu stated.
He added that the consequences of mismanaging public resources are far-reaching. “Every kobo stolen from NNPC is a child pulled out of school, a woman denied maternal care, and a farmer robbed of better roads.”
Dr. Shuaibu also welcomed the recent remarks by Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who stated that no one would be exempt from justice, including Mele Kyari. He described the AGF’s position as encouraging and said it signaled a chance for the government to prove it is serious about fighting corruption.
“We commend him and call on his office to immediately activate the machinery for a judicial commission of inquiry,” he said.
The coalition called on President Bola Tinubu to show support for the AGF’s position, stressing that delay or silence on the matter may be viewed as complicity. According to them, the Tinubu administration must not shield any individual accused of wrongdoing, no matter their status.
“We will not sit by and allow the sweat and sacrifice of the Nigerian people to be trampled upon,” the statement read. “If we must move forward as a nation, there must be consequences for abuse of public trust.”
