A group of Nigerians under the banner of Rescue Nigeria Now (RNN) staged a protest in London on Monday, May 12, 2025, demanding the deportation of former Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) boss, Mele Kyari. The demonstrators submitted formal petitions to both the Nigerian High Commission and the UK Home Office.
They accused Kyari of fleeing Nigeria to evade accountability for alleged corruption during his tenure at the helm of NNPCL from 2019 to 2025. Carrying placards with inscriptions like “Withdraw Mele Kyari’s residency now!” and “London is not for public officials who abused public trust,” the protesters decried what they described as his continued impunity.
In a letter to the Nigerian High Commissioner in London, RNN expressed outrage at Kyari’s presence in the UK, stating, “We are profoundly disillusioned and appalled by the effrontery with which Mr. Kyari has been walking the streets of London with impunity.” The group added, “This is an affront to the people of Nigeria and an insult to the anti-corruption crusade of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The petition described Kyari’s time at NNPCL as marred by “unprecedented corruption and international embarrassment,” insisting that he should not receive “any form of official reception, recognition, or diplomatic courtesy until he returns to Nigeria to submit himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant investigative bodies.”
Citing several allegations, the group highlighted missing funds supposedly earmarked for refinery rehabilitation. “It is on record till date that billions of dollars that were ostensibly budgeted for the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s decrepit refineries in Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt just unaccountably vanished into a bureaucratic abyss under the leadership of Mr. Kyari,” the letter said.
They described Kyari’s leadership as fostering an “impenetrable black box,” alleging that instead of improvements, Nigeria continued importing refined products while its own refineries remained dormant. “The nation was waiting expectantly for positive results… no tangible infrastructural improvement or reasonable output has been recorded,” they wrote.
The protesters also claimed Kyari enabled a “syndicate of racketeers” who benefited from opaque fuel importation deals. They criticised the fuel subsidy regime, calling it “shrouded in confusion, crony capitalism, and unexplainable contradictions.” They added, “Opaque subsidy payments of over trillions of naira were disbursed under the pretext of cushioning fuel costs. Yet, these payments lacked empirical substantiation and transparency.”
“Ordinary Nigerians were the ones that continued to suffer from the effects of fluctuating pump prices, artificial scarcity, and the nationwide persistent fuel queues—a phenomenon that outrightly became emblematic of governance failure,” the petition continued.
Addressing the UK Home Office, the group warned that sheltering individuals accused of such acts undermines anti-corruption efforts. “We are aware that Mr. Kyari is currently residing in the United Kingdom, a development he carefully orchestrated to evade facing justice in Nigeria,” they said. “We have cause to believe that he has transferred parts of the proceeds of his crimes to bank accounts in London, which would be a violation of anti-money laundering legislation in your country.”
Calling for action under existing international treaties, the group urged the UK government to take a firm stance. “The United Kingdom and Nigeria have established reciprocal treaties and agreements to curtail their citizens from willfully engaging in corruption. This relationship is intended to ensure justice is served and that fugitive criminals do not find safe havens in foreign countries.”
“Considering the extensive evidence of corruption and the severe impact on Nigeria, we hereby request that the Home Office expel Mr. Mele Kyari so that he can return to Nigeria,” the letter concluded. “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.” The protest and accompanying petitions reflect a growing demand from Nigerians at home and in the diaspora for accountability in public service. As the EFCC continues its investigations into Kyari’s tenure, attention now shifts to how the UK authorities will respond.