Hundreds of Nigerians stormed the Nigerian High Commission and the UK Home Office in London yesterday, demanding that former NNPCL boss Mele Kyari be deported to Nigeria to face corruption investigations.
Under the banner of Rescue Nigeria Now, the demonstrators gathered outside the Nigerian High Commission and the UK Home Office and submitted formal petitions to both institutions.
Protesters carried placards with bold inscriptions such as “Withdraw Mele Kyari’s residency now!” “Mele Kyari, go home and face the EFCC now!” and “London is not for public officials who abuse public trust.”
They accused Kyari of fleeing Nigeria to evade accountability for alleged financial misconduct during his tenure at NNPCL from 2019 to 2025.
In a letter addressed to the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, the group said: “We are profoundly disillusioned and appalled by the effrontery with which Mr. Kyari has been walking in the street of London with impunity, while the tables of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria are flooded with so much petitions, audit queries, and evidences on the many alleged corrupt financial dealings and infraction that have been attached to his tenure which spanned from 2019 to 2025.”
“We see this as an affront to the people of Nigeria and an insult to the esteemed anti-corruption crusade of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that an individual of such notoriety whose tenure in NNPCL was marred by unprecedented corruption and international embarrassment should not be allowed to roam freely on British soil without facing the consequences of his actions.
“Your Excellence, this letter is not merely a petition—it is a moral, civic, and nationalistic demand. We, therefore, demand in the strongest terms that the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom refrains from according him any form of official reception, recognition, or diplomatic courtesy until he returns to Nigeria to submit himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant investigative bodies for the myriad allegations that trail his tenure.”
The petition detailed several allegations against Kyari, including misappropriating funds earmarked for refinery rehabilitation.
“It is on record till date that billions of dollars that were ostensibly budgeted for the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s decrepit refineries in Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt just unaccountably vanished into a bureaucratic abyss under the leadership of Mr. Kyari. While the nation was expecting positive results, it was unfortunate that no tangible infrastructural improvement or reasonable output had been recorded to justify the gargantuan expenditures. Instead, Nigeria, a country known as the largest oil producer in Africa, continued importing refined petroleum products. At the same time, its refineries remained moribund, mothballed, and perfunctorily maintained, further weakening the Nigerian naira,” the letter reads.
Recently, the forensic opacity that surrounded these rehabilitation contracts, which have collectively impoverished the nation and eroded public trust in governance, has been a point of convergence and sensitivity to several anti-corruption watchdogs and international observers who have described the NNPCL under Kyari as an Impenetrable black box. Moreover, it was alleged that Mele Kyari was running a syndicate of racketeers who were massively benefiting from the fuel importation operations at the detriment of the nation’s wealth.
“Under Kyari’s leadership, the controversial fuel subsidy regime was mysteriously shrouded in confusion, crony capitalism, and unexplainable contradictions. Opaque subsidy payments of over trillions of naira were disbursed under the pretext of cushioning fuel costs. Yet, these payments lacked empirical substantiation and transparency on how they were spent. In demanding accountability, figures contradicted themselves, audits were ignored, and most damningly of this theatrics is that ordinary Nigerians were the ones who continued to suffer from the effects of fluctuating pump prices, artificial scarcity being created from his recklessness, and the nationwide persistent fuel queues that hit the country. This phenomenon outrightly became emblematic of governance failure.
“Subsidy removal, though a visionary idea by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, however, became an ideological tool of deceit, not policy relief under Kyari’s watch. The EFCC has reportedly received whistleblower testimonies and documents alleging fraudulent invoicing, overblown subsidy claims, and clandestine offshore payments.”
Addressing the UK Home Office, Rescue Nigeria Now emphasised the international implications of harbouring individuals accused of corruption.
The letters further alleged that Kyari transferred illicit funds to UK bank accounts.
“We are aware that Mr. Kyari is currently residing in the United Kingdom, a development he carefully orchestrated to evade facing justice in Nigeria for numerous acts of corruption and shady dealings during his tenure,” the letter added.
“We have cause to believe that for Mr. Kyari to have fled to the United Kingdom, he has transferred parts of the proceeds of his crimes to bank accounts in London, which would violate anti-money laundering legislation in your country.”
The coalition called upon the UK authorities to act following international anti-corruption agreements.
“The United Kingdom and Nigeria have established reciprocal treaties and agreements to curtail their citizens from willfully engaging in corruption and other criminal activities. This relationship is intended to ensure justice is served and that fugitive criminals do not find safe havens in foreign countries.
“Considering the extensive evidence of corruption and the severe impact on Nigeria, we request that the Home Office expel Mr. Mele Kyari so he can return to Nigeria. He must face justice for his actions, and the stolen funds must be recovered to aid the nation’s recovery and development.”
The protest and petitions underscore the growing demand among Nigerians at home and abroad for transparency and accountability in public service.
As the EFCC continues its investigations into the alleged misconduct during Kyari’s tenure, the international community’s response remains to be seen.
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