Refinery repairs: Lawyers, CSOs storm NNPCL with FOI requests on Mele Kyari’s tenure

A conjugation of lawyers and civilian nine organizations (CSOs) connected Tuesday submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) petition to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), seeking afloat disclosure connected the presumption of refineries refurbished during the tenure of Mele Kyari, the erstwhile Group Chief Executive Officer.

DAILY POST reports that the lawyers and CSOs person been pushing for the probe of Kyari’s tenure arsenic NNPCL chief. They person already submitted petitions against Kyari to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the Ministry of Finance and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Concerned Citizens Against Corruption, which is starring the push, demanded transparency and accountability connected the reported expenditure of $4 cardinal connected refineries repairs.

Led by Comrade Ogwuche Emmanuel, the radical alleged ostentation of refineries rehabilitation contracts, fraudulent allocation of crude lipid proceeds, misappropriation of funds and different questionable practices during Kyari’s tenure from July 2019 to April 2025.

The FOI petition seeks circumstantial details connected payments to consultants and contractors, crude lipid allocations, budgetary provisions for the AKK Pipeline Project, documentation connected gasoline imports, and accusation connected crude-backed loans and lipid exploration activities.

The radical emphasized the request for accountability and restoring nationalist spot successful NNPCL’s operations.

The lawyers and CSOs urged the NNPCL to supply the requested accusation wrong the stipulated timeframe nether the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

In a missive signed by Comrade Ogwuche Emmanuel, the radical said, “We are acrophobic astir the increasing reports of monumental Inflation of the Refineries Rehabilitation Contracts with allegations that the costs of refurbishing the refineries were importantly inflated, Fraudulent Allocation and Mismanagement of Crude Oil Proceeds, Misappropriation of Funds successful the AKK Gas Pipeline Project, Fuel Subsidy Fraud, Value Review for NNPCL’s Crude-Backed Loans, and Fraudulent Oil Exploration Activities that person yielded nary benefits to the nation.

“Our findings, supported by reliable intelligence, suggest a signifier of institutionalizing of these questionable practices during Mallam Kyari’s tenure. As an organisation of law-abiding Nigerians, who are affected by these identified issues, we necessitate accusation to question judicial intervention.

“Consequently, we necessitate the pursuing accusation from July 1, 2019 to April 29, 2025: Specific details of payments to consultants and contractors, enactment scopes, and the justification for payments for the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna Refineries.

“Information regarding crude lipid allocations and fiscal transactions nether the guise of pipeline information payments. Details of the budgetary provisions, overseas financing arrangements, and carnal advancement of the AKK Pipeline Project.

“Documentation including vessel records, bills of lading, and discharge certificates for gasoline imports during the stated period. Information regarding the structure, terms, and purposes of crude-backed loans taken from 2019 to date.

“Documentation and feasibility outcomes of lipid exploration activities successful Gombe, Bauchi, Ogun, and Nasarawa states. Given the gravity of the allegations that necessitated this request, it is imperative that the NNPCL provides afloat transparency connected the expenditures and activities undertaken during Mallam Kyari’s tenure.”