A coalition of civil society organisations in the North-East under the aegis of the Arewa Coalition for Accountable Leadership (ACAL) has urged Mele Kyari, former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, to allow a thorough judicial commission of inquiry into his tenure.
This is as the group warned that sponsoring counter-groups to discredit the call for his probe amounts to an open confession of guilt.
A statement released in Bauchi on Friday by its president, Dr Aminu Mustapha Shuaibu, said Kyari’s consistent efforts to evade scrutiny by rallying shadow groups across the country are not only shameful but a disservice to the values of transparency and accountability that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has promised Nigerians.
He warned that attempts to deflect attention from the probe through sponsored narratives only strengthen the public’s resolve.
“Mele Kyari should be the loudest voice calling for this probe if he truly believes in the integrity he claims. Silence and sponsored distractions only fuel our suspicion.
“To those hired to sing songs of innocence, let it be known: the days of shielding the powerful are over. The people demand justice, and justice must be served,”; Shuaibu stated.
He stressed that the demand for accountability in the oil and gas sector is a rare moment of national unity that cuts across every divide.
According to him, “The oil and gas sector remains the lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy. If we cannot hold its managers accountable, then we have surrendered our sovereignty to corruption.
“Every kobo stolen from NNPC is a child pulled out of school, a woman denied maternal care, and a farmer robbed of better roads. This probe is not political, it is a moral necessity that affects the future of every Nigerian”;.
He emphasised that this moment is not just about Mele Kyari but about the soul of Nigeria’s fight against corruption.
“This government has a golden opportunity to prove that no one is above the law.
“The citizens are watching, the international community is watching, and Nigeria must show that our justice system can function without fear or favour.
“We are not calling for persecution, but for truth. Let the facts come out in the open,” he said.
Shuaibu applauded the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), for his recent assurance that no one is above the law, including the former NNPCL boss, and for reiterating that Nigerians’ call for an investigation would be honoured.
“The Honourable Attorney General, Mr. Fagbemi, has once again shown himself to be a custodian of public interest. His assurance that Mele Kyari will not be shielded from accountability is a breath of fresh air in a country weary of selective justice.
“We commend him and call on his office to immediately activate the machinery for a judicial commission of inquiry,”; he said.
The Arewa Coalition for Accountable Leadership called on President Tinubu to back the AGF’s position by publicly supporting the judicial commission of inquiry, noting that the current administration cannot afford to be seen as defending the alleged excesses of past officeholders.
The coalition warned that any further delay in constituting the panel of inquiry would be interpreted as complicity.
“We will not sit by and allow the sweat and sacrifice of the Nigerian people to be trampled upon. If we must move forward as a nation, there must be consequences for abuse of public trust, no matter how highly placed the individual is,”; Shuaibu added.
