By Kingston Magare 12/5/2025
Nigerians in the UK Monday besiege the Nigeria High Commission and the UK Home Office protesting the stay of former Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL) group managing director in the country when he should be in custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The Nigerians in their hundreds demanded for the deportation of the former NNPCL boss appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari for his alleged involvement in the rot uncovered by a recent audit of the company.
They accused Kyari of slipping out of Nigeria to avoid arrest for his maladministration at the NNPCL, three company executive have already been arrested over unexplained spending of $2.9billion claimed to have used to fix Nigeria’s moribund refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna.
“Mele Kyari go home and face EFCC now!” and “London is not for public officials who abused public trust,” some of the placards brandished by the protesters read.
The protest organisers “Rescue Nigeria Now” said in a statement that letters have been submitted at the Home Office and the Nigeria High Commission demanding for the shift deportation of Kyari.
“We are profoundly disillusioned and appalled by the effrontery with which Mr. Kyari has been walking in the streets of London with impunity, while the tables of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are flooded with petitions, audit queries, and evidence.
“It is on record that billions of dollars allocated for the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s refineries disappeared into a bureaucratic abyss under Kyari’s leadership,” the letter read.
The group accused Kyari of running a syndicate benefiting from the importation of fuel while neglecting Nigeria’s own refineries. They also pointed to the opaque fuel subsidy regime, where trillions of naira were disbursed without transparency, leaving ordinary Nigerians to bear the brunt of the artificial fuel scarcity created during his tenure.
The letter further detailed how Kyari allegedly transferred illicit funds to UK bank accounts, raising concerns over money laundering. The coalition urged UK authorities to act in line with international anti-corruption agreements and to expel Kyari, allowing him to face justice in Nigeria.
“We hereby request that the Home Office expel Mr. Mele Kyari so that he can return to Nigeria. It is imperative that he faces justice for his actions and that the stolen funds are recovered to aid in the nation’s recovery and development.
