Following recent demonstrations in London, Nigerians in the diaspora are preparing to stage fresh protests in Washington D.C. and Dubai, demanding a thorough investigation into the tenure of Mele Kyari, former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The campaign is being spearheaded by Rescue Nigeria Now (RNN), a global coalition of Nigerians abroad, which is calling on the Nigerian government to establish a judicial commission of inquiry to probe what it describes as a “dark, corrupt, and destructive era” in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector under Kyari’s leadership.
“Mele Kyari must not be allowed to disappear into luxury exile,” said Damilola Adeyeye, RNN’s Global Mobilisation Lead, in a statement issued on Friday. “We are heading to the streets again in the US and UAE to demand full transparency on every kobo spent, signed, or sanctioned during his time in office.”
Adeyeye alleged that massive corruption took place under Kyari’s watch, particularly in areas such as refinery rehabilitation, fuel subsidy disbursements, and public fuel supply, accusing the government of attempting to bury the scandal.
On Monday, protesters had gathered in London, targeting the Nigerian High Commission and the UK Home Office.
They submitted a petition accusing Kyari of fleeing Nigeria to evade investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-corruption agencies, and called for the withdrawal of any diplomatic privileges he may be enjoying.
According to RNN, whistleblower reports submitted to Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies link Kyari to a complex network of fuel import scams and inflated subsidy claims, allegedly coordinated by insiders who took advantage of weak oversight in the oil sector.
Although Kyari has denied any wrongdoing, claiming he is merely taking a “well-deserved rest” following the dissolution of the NNPCL board, calls for accountability have grown louder.
Fatima Sadiq, RNN’s Middle East Coordinator, revealed that Dubai was chosen for the upcoming protest due to suspicions that illicit funds tied to Kyari’s network may have been laundered through UAE financial institutions.
“Dubai has unfortunately become a haven for stolen Nigerian wealth,” Sadiq said.
“We are collaborating with global transparency organisations to pressure authorities in the UAE to share relevant financial records with Nigerian investigators.”
In the United States, RNN’s Director of Strategy, Michael Ibeh, confirmed that protesters will converge on Nigerian diplomatic missions and engage U.S. lawmakers and international watchdog bodies.
“We are calling on President Bola Tinubu to act decisively. Mele Kyari’s leadership left the oil sector in a worse state and deepened public disillusionment. While Nigeria delays, he roams freely in Europe. It’s time for the government to prove that no one is above the law,” Ibeh said.
RNN is demanding the establishment of an independent judicial panel with powers to publicly review all contracts, transactions, and financial transfers made during Kyari’s tenure.
The coalition noted that unless swift action is taken by Nigerian authorities, the protests could spread to more countries, gaining momentum among students, diaspora organisations, and international human rights groups.
“This movement is about more than just one man,” Adeyeye concluded. “It’s about whether Nigeria is finally ready to hold powerful figures accountable and begin to clean up the rot in its most critical sector.”
