The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), in collaboration with allied civil society organizations forming the coalition of national civil society organizations, is demanding transparency and accountability from Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Their call comes in the wake of an alleged missing 48 million barrels of Nigeria’s Bonny Light crude, valued at $4.8 billion and reportedly stored in China since 2015.
Speaking on behalf of the CNPP and the civil societies, Prof Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr, Convener of the Countryfirst movement; James Ezema, the CNPP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, and Alhaji Ali Abacha, the National Secretary of the coalition of Nigeria civil society organizations, addressed the media at a press conference held in Abuja.
The group emphasized that Mele Kyari’s resistance to complying with a High Court order to disclose the whereabouts of the crude oil proceeds not only obstructs constitutional oversight but also raises grave concerns about the NNPCL’s involvement in the alleged illegal sale.
This resistance and a sense of non-compliance with the court order have fueled the group’s demands for the immediate suspension of Mele Kyari to enable an impartial investigation into the matter.
Furthermore, the CNPP is calling upon President Bola Tinubu to take swift action in the interest of national importance by suspending Mele Kyari and initiating a comprehensive forensic audit of the old NNPC and the new NNPCL under his leadership.
The CNPP’s demands are fueled by a whistleblower’s claim that has revealed an alarming mystery surrounding the alleged disappearance of the 48 million barrels of Nigeria’s Bonny Light crude.
This case, with implications for the country’s financial integrity, remains at the forefront of public and political discourse.