Hundreds of protesters, led by the Concerned Lawyers and Citizens Network (CLCN), stormed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) headquarters in Abuja on Thursday. They demanded an immediate investigation into $2.896 billion in rehabilitation funds.
In a speech delivered by Sambari G. Benjamin, Esq., the CLCN accused a conglomerate company with ties to Engineer Mele Kolo Kyari, former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), of being a front for laundering stolen public funds.
The group pointed to the mysterious disappearance of $2.896 billion allocated for rehabilitating the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, which remain non-functional despite the massive investment.
“We are here because something is deeply wrong,” Benjamin declared to supporters and journalists, stating that the company is not just in a business; it is a vessel of money laundering, a shell of secrecy, and a front for repurposing stolen public funds.”
The protesters demanded that the ICPC launch a full-scale investigation into every company linked to Kyari, especially their financial dealings when he was at NNPCL, expose its investors and directors, and recover every kobo allegedly diverted from the refinery funds.
They also called for accountability for all individuals involved, regardless of their influence.
“We speak for the mechanic in Kaduna, the mother in Warri, and the youth in Port Harcourt who have been robbed of opportunity, dignity, and truth,” Benjamin said.
“This is about justice and restoring faith in our institutions.”
The CLCN vowed to continue their agitation until the truth is revealed and justice is served, warning that Nigerians will not be silenced or intimidated.
“Let this day be remembered as the moment Nigerians stood up and said: Enough is enough with the theft of our commonwealth,” Benjamin concluded.
