A coalition of legal practitioners, operating under the banner of Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law, has announced its intention to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, calling for an investigation into alleged financial misconduct during the tenure of former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.
The group, which has already submitted a petition to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, is demanding Kyari’s arrest and prosecution over what it describes as a series of financial irregularities and corruption under his leadership at the national oil firm.
“We will submit a petition to the EFCC on Monday,” the group declared in a statement.
Kyari, who led NNPCL from July 2019 until his removal on April 2, 2025, was replaced by Bayo Ojulari following increasing public pressure and mounting allegations surrounding the controversial $2 billion crude-for-loan swap and other opaque transactions.
On Wednesday, the coalition staged a protest at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, where they submitted a formal petition dated April 23. The document was jointly signed by the group's convener, Emmanuel Agada, and its National Secretary, Jonathan Uchendu, accusing Kyari of running a secretive and corrupt administration during his nearly six-year tenure.
The petition alleges that Kyari operated the NNPCL "like a private syndicate, favouring cronies and associates to the detriment of transparency and public interest."
Wednesday's protest followed a similar demonstration the day before by another group, Concerned Citizens Against Corruption, which also called for a comprehensive investigation into the financial operations of NNPCL over the last five years.
The Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law stressed that although President Bola Tinubu eventually bowed to pressure and removed Kyari, there has yet to be any formal investigation or accountability process.
They warned that failure to act decisively on the allegations would further erode public confidence in the government's anti-corruption drive.
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