Leading ethnic youth organisations across Nigeria have launched a united front to resist what they described as a politically motivated attempt to tarnish the image of the immediate-past Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.
The move followed reports of an ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of funds by former senior officials of NNPCL, including Kyari.
Operating under the umbrella of the Ethnic Youth Leaders Council of Nigeria, the coalition comprises the Middle Belt Youth Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Movement, Arewa Consultative Youth Movement, Oduduwa Youths, and South-South Youths.
The coalition has summoned an emergency meeting in Kaduna to be hosted by Arewa Youths, followed by a high-profile international press conference in Enugu, where they planned to make their position known.
In a joint statement signed by Comrade Ananukwa Edu, the coalition condemned the EFCC’s investigation, describing it as a veiled attempt to discredit Kyari despite his contributions to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
“We are taken aback by reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) launched a probe into the alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of funds by former senior officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), including the immediate past GCEO, Mele Kyari,” the statement read.
They referenced an EFCC letter titled “Investigation Activities Request for Information”, with reference number CR:3000/EFCC/ABJ/HQ/SDC.2/NNPC/VOL.1/698, which allegedly asked the current NNPCL management to provide certified true copies of emoluments and allowances of former officials, including those who have since retired.
The youth leaders pledged to take legal and civil actions to counter what they believe is a targeted campaign.
“Our other options include but are not limited to taking legal action to halt the plot to smear Kyari’s name and sponsor protests against him while we will vehemently condemn the move which is politically motivated.
“This is unacceptable! We will do everything within the law to make sure Kyari is saved from the usual antics of the Nigerian system where people who served the nation diligently are later witch-hunted for political purposes. As Kyari declared, ‘he served Nigeria with the fear of God and is willing to account for his stewardship’—but t
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