A group of concerned Nigerians has called on the US government to investigate and sanction the National Petroleum Company of Nigeria (NNPCL) and its CEO, Mele Kyari, for allegedly violating sanctions on Russian crude oil.
In a letter to the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the group alleges that NNPCL under Kyari’s leadership is exporting Russian crude oil and petroleum products in excess of the price cap coalition consisting of the US, G7, EU and Australia, which is a fixed price ceiling.
Concerned Citizens for Economic Reform in Nigeria (CCERN) alleges that NNPCL has been blending petroleum products in Malta using Russian crude oil in excess of the $60 per barrel threshold, resulting in sanctions violations.
Furthermore, it alleges that the transactions in question amounted to over $2.08 billion, allowing Russia to earn huge amounts of revenue to finance its war.
The letter, signed by Comrades Comrade Tijani Ibrahim and Ambassador Fatima Abubakar, stated that “The breach of the sanction is being led by one Mr. Meie Kolo Kyari in his capacity as the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL”.
“Our group was flagged off to the breach in the course of a price tracking to confirm if Nigerians are paying more for petrol than the international benchmark prices since the country is now dependent 1 importation to meet domestic demands.
“We found that NNPLC, in connivance with Mr Kyari’s associates, has an arrangement for blending petroleum products in Malta before shipping them to Nigeria. The transaction involved in the span of the last year is quoted to be worth more than $2.08 billion, which effectively makes it possible for Russia to continue earning substantial revenue to oil its war machine”.
The group also named other individuals and companies allegedly involved in the violation, including senior officials of Matrix Energy, Poly Pro Trading DMCC, and NNPCL.
They claim that proceeds from these illegal activities are used to strengthen Russian influence in West Africa and fund anti-Western protests. Citizens concerned about Nigeria’s economic reforms are calling on the United States to investigate and sanction those involved, including Mr. Kyari and NNPCL employees, to prevent further violations and protect global interests.
“The widespread protests during the first half of this month were in part financed with proceeds of Mr Kyari’s sidestepping of the Price Cap Coalition sanctions, ” the letter added.
“The funds were specifically paid to make Russian flags and mobilize persons displaying the flags while chanting pro-Russian and anti-West slogans.
“The violation of sanctions by Mr. Kyari and his allies, who willfully ignored the price cap, will therefore have ramifications beyond the Russia-Ukraine axis, as it will strengthen Russian influence in West Africa and potentially plunge the West African region into a conflict that will harm the interests of Nigerians and the United States of the Russian Federation and weaken them.
“To citizens concerned about economic reforms, Nigeria is a conscientious nation that wants to align with the United States’ vision of moving a world without room for dictatorship in a positive direction, which can only be achieved if individuals and companies comply,” sanctions are imposed around the world.
“We, therefore, call on the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to urgently investigate Mr Mele Kyari – CEO of NNPCL, other staff of NNPCL linked to the flagged transactions, Mr Abdulkabir Adisa Aliu, Matrix Energy and its vessels: Matrix Pride, Matrix Triumph, Matrix S.ILU, and ROMEO as well as Poly Pro Trading DMCC as persons and entities of interest in the violation of sanctions imposed on Russia by the Price Cap Coalition.”
