Protesters storm AGF’s office, demand probe of ex-NNPCL boss Kyari

It further raised the issue of the NNPCL’s alleged $2
billion indebtedness to Matrix Energy, with the debt allegedly serviced through
daily crude oil allocations.

“It is on record that this sack of the erstwhile corrupt leadership
of the NNPCL drew applause from Nigerians, especially groups like our, which
had been at the forefront of demanding accountability and transparency in the
running of institutions,” Matazu said.

“It is also of note that in Mele Kyari, the leadership of
the NNPCL was plagued with countless and endless allegations of corruption due
to what was described as a lack of transparency.

“Nigerians are disenchanted that the President has only
stopped at removing the former leadership without taking steps to investigate
how Kyari and his team ran the organisation.

“In this regard, a sore point is the alleged fraud
surrounding the rehabilitation and the restreaming of the government-owned
refineries. The figures and the facts simply do not add up.

“In addition to the billions of dollars that the Kyari-led
administration claimed to have spent on fixing the refineries, it also claimed
that an oil company, Matrix Energy Limited, invested $400 million in the
rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery. This is even as the Federal
Executive Council had approved $1.5 billion for the repairs of the same
facility.

 “But there are even
more perplexing issues emerging. The NNPCL is now reportedly owing Matrix
Energy more than $2 billion. This debt is being serviced through daily crude
oil allocations to Matrix Energy that are not being paid for.

“There are consequently posers that require urgent
clarifications. Why and how is the Federal Government, through the NNPCL, owing
Matrix Oil $2 billion? Why is the debt being paid with a daily supply of crude
oil? Who were the parties to the negotiations of this deal? Why are Nigerians
being kept in the dark?

“The Concerned Citizens Against Corruption strongly believes
that getting to the root of this matter will help the Federal Government to
account for how public resources were spent on the controversial refineries’
repairs undertaken under the Kyari leadership.

“An investigation into the questionable transactions would
also point the government in the direction of what funds to recover and from
whom, which is sorely needed now considering Nigeria’s economic condition.

“Furthermore, investigating all that transpired will set the
stage for holding even the current leadership accountable while equally
identifying potential pitfalls for those who are now in charge so that Nigeria
is not caught in a loop of repeating the same mistakes.

“In view of the foregoing, the Concerned Citizens Against
Corruption calls on the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the
Federation to immediately review all agreements entered by the NNPCL under the
Mele Kyari administration.

“This investigation should find out how much the Federal
Government has lost to such agreements and recommendations on to recover
identified funds. We demand for an immediate judicial review,” the protesters
added in a petition they submitted to the office of the AGF.

More so, the group called for the institution of a
commission of inquiry to look into how contracts for the repair of refineries
were handled by the NNPCL under Kyari and the sacked board.