The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy in Abuja was stormed by hundreds of young Nigerian professionals on Wednesday, demanding that Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, be deported so that he can answer questions about alleged corruption during his time there.
Under the auspices of the Young Professionals Forum (YPF), the demonstrators said that Kyari’s presence in Nigeria was necessary for the investigation of the national oil company’s financial operations while he served as group chief executive officer.
Speaking on behalf of the demonstrators, Barrister Sambari Benjamin pointed out that Kyari’s alleged corrupt actions have had a significant impact on Nigeria’s economy, especially the petroleum industry.
Protesters claim that Kyari’s reign was characterised by personal enrichment, a disdain for national interests, and intentional obstruction of local refining attempts.
They further claimed that Kyari’s conduct as the head of the NNPCL had depleted Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves and severely damaged national productivity. They also claimed that it has made people more susceptible to petroleum goods that have been tampered with.
The UAE government was encouraged by the Young Professionals Forum to deny Kyari refuge and residency. In the same spirit, the demonstrators asked that Kyari be placed on a blacklist in order to stop him from evading 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.
Speaking during the protest, Benjamin said, “We urge the UAE government to refuse Kyari residency and 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 prosecutions 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, and 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.”
