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Lawyers, CSOs Storm EFCC HQ with Petition Against NNPCL’s Mele Kyari
Calls for Investigation of Refineries
A group of lawyers and civil society organizations (CSOs) early this morning stormed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters in Abuja with a petition against Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
The petition alleged that Kyari perpetrated monumental fraud, tax evasion, economic sabotage, and abuse of office during his tenure from July 2019 to February 2025.
According to the Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law led by Asika Raymond, Kyari collaborated with certain consultants and contractors to conceal the actual cost of refineries rehabilitation projects and evade taxes due to the Federal Government.
One notable example cited was the Port Harcourt Refinery, where the group alleged that the NNPCL under Kyari’s leadership expended $1.5 billion, despite initial estimates of $1 billion for the three refineries.
The petitioners questioned the transparency and accountability of the payments made to consultants and contractors handling the refineries’ rehabilitation projects.
The petition also alleged that crude oil allocations were diverted and financial transactions were carried out under the guise of “pipeline security” at a suspicious rate of 80,000 barrels per day, with no transparent process or accountability mechanism.
Additionally, the AKK Gas Pipeline Project, initially valued at $5 billion, was said to be riddled with irregularities in contract awards and execution.
Furthermore, the petitioners raised concerns about fuel subsidy fraud, citing repeated allegations of inflated imports and false claims.
They also questioned the value of NNPCL’s crude-backed loans, which totaled $21.565 billion since 2019, with questionable purposes and outcomes.
The petition added: “There is credible information that crude oil allocations were diverted, and financial transactions were carried out under the guise of ‘pipeline security’ at a suspicious rate of 80,000 barrels per day, with no transparent process or accountability mechanism.
“The AKK Pipeline Project, initially valued at $5 billion has been riddled with irregularities in the award and execution of contracts. Despite several budgetary provisions and foreign financing arrangements, there is little physical progress or transparency in fund utilization.
“There have been repeated allegations of fraud tied to the payment of fuel subsidy. It is instructive to note that while the rest of the world witnessed a decline in fuel consumption in 2020 due to COVID, NNPCL increased its imports of petroleum products during the same period.
“Under Mele Kyari, NNPCL took various crude-backed loans which hit $21.565 billion since 2019. Aside from mortgaging future production, the structure of these loans disadvantaged Nigeria as the upside from trading Nigeria’s crude in the international market was ceded to traders.
“The former GCEO also supervised massive spending on oil exploration activities in the aforementioned states. These explorations, allegedly running into several billions of Naira lack proper documentation, feasibility outcomes, or any demonstrable economic returns. ”
The group urged the EFCC to investigate Kyari, forensically audit all payments made to consultants and contractors from 2019 to 2025, recover misappropriated public funds, and collaborate with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to probe suspected tax evasion.
The EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, received the petition on behalf of the Chairman and promised that the Commission will look into it swiftly.
Daniel Bwala, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on policy communication, says former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar should accept that presidency may not be his destiny.
Bwala spoke on Monday during an interview on TVC, where he addressed issues surrounding political succession and the future of opposition politics in the country.
He asked Abubakar to embrace reality and collaborate with President Tinubu in building the country.
“If I have the opportunity to meet him face to face, what I will tell him is just this: ‘Your Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, you have to believe in destiny,’” Bwala said.
“God gives power to whomsoever He chooses. And it seems from the facts on the ground that it may not have been the will of God for you to govern Nigeria.”
He advised the former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to align himself with Tinubu’s administration to leave a lasting legacy, “even if it is realised through another person”.
“There are many other ways you can contribute. Since you have been a friend to President Bola Tinubu for many years, come together and bring your contribution towards the Nigeria that both of you wanted to create for the Nigerian people,” he said.
“Your legacy will be that in your political dying days, you will be able to achieve some of your dreams, albeit through your friend.
“But if he insists that he wants to run and he wants to become the president, as we have already seen it playing out, his political ending might not be as palatable as he’s thinking.
“Right now, from his political family, he has lost substantial people, probably 60 to 70 percent.”
Bwala added that younger politicians who once followed Abubakar are now determined to seek power in their own right and have shown no signs of retreating.
The presidential aide’s remarks come amid a gale of defections from opposition parties to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
There are speculations that some governors of the opposition parties may soon join the APC.
In March, Abubakar said he was unsure about contesting the 2027 presidency, adding that there must be a viable platform.
The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) says it will no longer accept cash payments at its post office counters nationwide from July 1, as part of new reforms aimed at modernising the agency.
In a statement on Monday, Franklin Alao, NIPOST’s director of corporate communications, said the transition to a cashless system is one of several initiatives under a reform agenda themed “Change of Renewed Hope Berths at NIPOST Shores”.
Alao said the new direction aligns NIPOST with global best practices, the demands of Nigeria’s growing digital economy, and President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
“Beginning July 1, 2025, all Post Offices counters nationwide will no longer accept cash payments for their services. Customers will be required to use approved electronic channels for all transactions,” the statement reads.
“This is a crucial step in our modernization journey — one that ensures safer, faster, and more transparent service delivery.”
The director said the core of the transformation is NIPOST’s dedication to evolving into a modern postal service guided by innovation, accountability, value creation, and a commitment to service excellence.
“We are assuring Nigerians of a revitalised NIPOST that delivers superior service and embraces the future,” he said.
Alao announced plans to introduce a performance-based reward and recognition system to encourage excellence, alongside disciplinary measures aimed at promoting integrity within the agency.
NIPOST expressed appreciation to Bosun Tijani, minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, for his “unwavering support and leadership”.
The organisation also commended Isaac Kekemeke, the newly appointed chairman of the NIPOST board, and Tola Odeyemi, the postmaster general and chief executive officer (CEO), for their efforts in driving reforms, improving staff welfare, and boosting capacity development.
NIPOST added that with the initiatives, the postal service aims to position itself as a forward-looking, tech-driven institution playing a central role in Nigeria’s digital advancement by “Connecting Nigeria, Delivering Solutions, and Improving Lives”.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied a viral report claiming it disclosed the reasons behind the detention of controversial social media commentator VeryDarkMan (VDM).
The activist was detained on Friday after visiting a Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) branch in Abuja with his mother to address alleged unauthorised withdrawals from her account.
Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju later revealed that VDM’s arrest followed a petition filed by a magistrate in Abuja.
However, on Monday, BBC Pidgin quoted Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, as saying the activist was arrested based on petitions filed by some individuals who had grievances against him.
When asked if the petitions were related to GTB, Oyewale was quoted to have said the complaints came from different individuals and that the EFCC has a responsibility to protect them.
“We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners,” Oyewale was quoted as saying.
“We will release him once he meets the bail conditions, and we will take the case to court as soon as possible. We are law-abiding.”
Following his detention, supporters and associates of VeryDarkMan took to social media to campaign for his freedom.
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi condemned VDM’s arrest, calling it a “disregard for the rule of law and human rights”.
Atiku Abubakar, the former vice-president, expressed his disappointment with the “continued detention” of the activist without formal charges, describing it as a “violation of his constitutional rights and a sign of growing authoritarianism” in the country.
Davido also joined the outcry, praising the widespread support for VeryDarkMan as “proof that genuine activism impacts lives”.
However, shortly afterward, the commission denied speaking with BBC Pidgin.
The EFCC, which has stayed quiet about the activist’s detention and is yet to respond to TheCable Lifestyle’s inquiries, dismissed the BBC Pidgin report as “fake news” in a post via X.