Reports
“Hundreds of young Nigerian professionals were reported to have stormed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy in Abuja, demanding that the country deported Mele Kyari, former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, to answer to allegations of embezzlement during his tenure as Chief Executive of NNPCL.
The protesters, under the auspices of Young Professionals Forum (YPF), said Kyari’s presence in Nigeria was required in the probe of the financial activities of the national oil company during his tenure as group chief executive officer.
Barristmbari Benjamin who was identified as the spokesperson for the protesters was reported to have noted that Kyari’s alleged corrupt practices have had far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s economy, particularly the country’s energy sector.
Kyari’s tenure according to the protesters was marked by alleged deliberate obstruction of local refining initiatives, disregard for national interests and personal enrichment.
They have also alleged that Kyari’s actions as NNPCL boss had crippled national productivity and drained Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves while helping in worsening the vulnerability of consumers resulting from adulterated petroleum products.
The Young Professionals Forum urged the UAE government to refuse Kyari residency and asylum, requesting that Kyari be “blacklisted to prevent his escape from justice.”
“We believe that Mele Kyari’s actions have brought shame to our nation and our people. His alleged corrupt practices have had devastating consequences for our economy and our people. We cannot stand idly by while those in positions of authority abuse their power for personal gain.”
Benjamin was quoted as saying: “We urge the UAE government to refuse Kyari residency, asylum, and to blacklist him to prevent his escape from justice. The Nigerian people demand accountability and transparency, and we will not rest until justice is served.”
The group stressed that granting Kyari asylum would undermine the rule of law and set a dangerous precedent for other public officials who might seek to escape accountability by fleeing abroad.
The protesters urged the UAE government to uphold its commitment to international cooperation and justice by denying Kyari refuge.
Benjamin added: “The implications of granting haven—whether directly or inadvertently—to Kyari are manifold. Firstly, it would constitute a direct affront to the Nigerian judicial process, which is on the verge of initiating investigations and possible prosecution against him and his accomplices.
“More devastatingly, this would obviously send an unfortunate message to the people of Nigeria, most especially the youth and emerging professionals— that accountability is optional, that impunity is mobile, as that justice can be conveniently overridden or circumvented by the elites who can afford the financial prize.
“We, the Young Professionals Forum of Nigeria, therefore urge, in the strongest possible terms, that the United Arab Emirates refuse them residency and asylum. Let it not be said that the UAE, a nation of high moral standing, became an escape route for two of the most controversial figures in Nigeria’s contemporary regulatory history.”