Over 500 anti-corruption lawyers on Wednesday stormed the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) at the Ministry of Justice in Abuja, demanding the immediate probe of Mele Kyari, the erstwhile Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

In a remarkable show of patriotism, the lawyers, under the aegis of the Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law said they are out to rid the nation of corruption especially in the oil industry where Kyari and his allies sold the nation for a piece of porridge.

According to a petition co-signed Barrister Emmanuel Agada and Jonathan Uchendu, the lawyers lamented that Kyari’s leadership of the NNPCL was plagued with countless allegations of corruption, which were allegedly made inevitable by the opaque way he ran the organization.

The lawyers cited the controversy surrounding the rehabilitation and restreaming of government-owned refineries, where billions of dollars were spent, but the figures and facts do not add up.

The petition highlighted the case of Matrix Energy Limited, which allegedly invested $400 million in the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery, even as the Federal Executive Council had approved $1.5 billion for the repairs of the same facility.

The NNPCL is now reportedly owing Matrix Energy more than $2 billion, with the debt being serviced through daily crude oil allocations to Matrix Energy that are not being paid for.

The lawyers demanded that the AGF review all agreements entered into by the NNPCL under Kyari’s administration, launch a fact-finding investigation into the questionable transactions, and institute a commission of inquiry into the NNPCL’s handling of the refineries’ repairs under Kyari.

The protesting lawyers vowed to continue their agitation until Kyari is brought to justice and the truth about the alleged corruption is uncovered.

The petition added: “The Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law strongly believe that getting to the root of this matter will help the Federal Government to account for how public resources were squandered on the controversial refineries’ repairs undertaken under the Kyari leadership.

“In view of the facts stated above, we request that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation to immediately review all agreements entered by the NNPCL under the Mele Kyari administration.

“An investigation into the questionable transactions would also point the government in the direction of what funds to recover and from whom, which is sorely needed now considering Nigeria’s economic condition.

“Furthermore, investigating all that transpired will set the stage for holding even the current leadership accountable while equally identifying potential pitfalls for those who are now in charge so that Nigeria is not caught in a loop of repeating the same mistakes.

“A fact-finding investigation be launched to ascertain how much the Federal Government has lost to such agreements and recommendations on concrete steps to recover identified funds. We demand for an immediate judicial review of all matters related thereto.

“The Guardians of Democracy And Rule of Law will appreciate it if the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation can escalate the issue to a point where the Federal Government institutes a commission of inquiry into NNPCL’s handling of the refineries’ repairs under Kyari and the sacked board. “

A deputy Director at the office of the AGF, Winifred Adekunle who received the petition promised to deliver it to the Justice minister and assured them that prompt action will be taken.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Groups has praised President Bola Tinubu and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, for their transformative leadership and commitment to transparency in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

In a statement issued on Monday, David Matthew Akpambu, Global President of the Nigerians in Diaspora Groups, commended the 2024 Oil Block Licensing Round, conducted in full compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and NUPRC Guidelines.

This groundbreaking process, they noted, marked a major milestone in the nation’s quest to rid the sector of corruption and mismanagement.

Emphasizing the significant strides made, the groups highlighted the transparent, digital nature of the bidding process.

“For the first time in Nigeria’s history, the oil and gas sector witnessed a fully digital and point-based commercial bid evaluation, ensuring a competitive and fair allocation of assets. This digital approach, underpinned by encryption and decryption technology, provided an unprecedented level of security and integrity, ensuring that data remained confidential and free from human interference,” the statement reads.

“This reform is a testament to the leadership of President Tinubu and the proactive vision of Gbenga Komolafe. The 2024 Licensing Round was transparent, competitive, and a clear departure from previous practices that have often been tainted with allegations of corruption.”

The groups also applauded the stringent prequalification process, which demanded that applicants demonstrate not only financial strength but also technical expertise.

“The rigorous criteria were designed to ensure that only qualified entities could proceed to the subsequent stages, ultimately safeguarding Nigeria’s oil and gas assets from mismanagement,” the statement added.

“The commercial bid phase, which took place in full public view, was another highlight of the process. The transparent evaluation system, which was broadcast live, involved representatives from key agencies such as the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and the Federal Ministry of Finance, ensuring the process was open and accountable. With outcomes determined instantaneously, the digital process eliminated any possibility of human interference or manipulation.”

They also emphasized the importance of the involvement of well-established industry players, noting that this model ensured that even newly incorporated entities could compete fairly, provided they were supported by reputable stakeholders with proven operational experience.

The groups reiterated its support for the leadership of Tinubu and Komolafe, recognizing the significant steps taken towards a transparent and efficient oil and gas sector.

The diaspora groups stressed that it had been monitoring Komolafe’s activities since his appointment, and found him consistent in delivering on the promises he made to the country.

“During his Senate screening, Mr. Komolafe made a commitment to the nation: to establish a 21st-century regulator and position NUPRC as the leading upstream regulatory body on the African continent,” they declared.

“Today, that vision is not just alive—it has been achieved. Nigeria now ranks as having the best upstream regulator in Africa in terms of best practices, a feat acknowledged by stakeholders at several international energy summits.”

They called on other government agencies to adopt similar reforms in other critical sectors to further drive Nigeria’s economic growth and attract foreign investments.

Transparency Network in Nigeria (TNN) has come to the defence of Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), over allegations of bias and irregularities in the recently concluded 2024 oil block licensing round.

In a statement on Sunday, the country representative of TNN, Dr. Mustapha Jibrin, described the exercise as “the most transparent and technologically advanced in Nigeria’s oil and gas licensing history,” adding that any suggestion of human interference was both “unfounded and ignorant of the facts.”

Dr. Jibrin said the group had been monitoring Komolafe’s activities since his appointment Chief Executive of the commission, and found him consistent in delivering on the promises he made to the country.

“During his Senate screening, Mr. Komolafe made a commitment to the nation: to establish a 21st-century regulator and position NUPRC as the leading upstream regulatory body on the African continent,” Dr. Jibrin recalled.

“Today, that vision is not just alive—it has been achieved. Nigeria now ranks as having the best upstream regulator in Africa in terms of best practices, a feat acknowledged by stakeholders at several international energy summits.”

The group said the entire licensing process was executed in a manner that left no room for manipulation or favouritism. He noted that independent monitors were present during the entire process.

“Those peddling insinuations of bribery or backdoor dealings in this licensing round have clearly failed to grasp the rigorous, technology-driven framework that underpinned every stage of the process,” Dr. Jibrin said.

“The commercial bid evaluation was conducted using a transparent, digital, and point-based assessment system, which included the following parameters: Signature Bonus, Proposed Work Programme Financial Commitments, and Work Performance Security. A computer-based competitive bidding process was adopted, leveraging encryption and decryption technology to ensure data integrity and confidentiality.

“This was televised live for full transparency, open to the public, and conducted in the presence of representatives from relevant entities such as the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, Federal Ministry of Finance, and Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and acknowledged by all as being transparent.

“Assertions of corrupt practices and insinuations of monetary exchanges reflect a lack of understanding, as the sophisticated digital process eliminated any possibility of human interference. With outcomes determined instantaneously and transparently in full public view, there was no conceivable need for inducements or undue influence.”

He also reiterated that the entire process was fully aligned with statutory requirements, adding that qualification was based solely on merit.

“The 2024 Licensing Round was conducted in strict compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) Guidelines, ensuring a transparent, competitive, and technology-driven allocation process,” he said.

“The technical and financial capability of a bidding entity is not solely determined by the date of incorporation of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) used for bidding. Instead, it is assessed based on the expertise, financial strength, and track record of the stakeholders, affiliated entities, or parent companies backing the SPV,” he explained.

According to TNN, the licensing round created equal opportunity for serious investors while maintaining high industry standards.

“In Nigeria’s 70-year history of oil exploration, this is the first time a bidding licensing round was done in an open and transparent manner, leveraging technology, thereby removing any form of human interference and making it devoid of corrupt practices.

“Komolafe and his team have done what no other regulatory team has accomplished in decades — they’ve restored public confidence in licensing. These kinds of allegations only distract from the reforms Nigerians have long demanded,” Dr. Jibrin concluded.