Nigerians protested at the Nigerian high commission in the UK and the Home Office, demanding the return of Mele Kyari, former group chief executive officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, to Nigeria.
The demonstrators, under the auspices of Rescue Nigeria Now, assembled outside the Nigerian high commission and the UK Home Office in the UK, where they submitted formal petitions to both entities.
Protesters carried placards with bold inscriptions such as “Withdraw Mele Kyari’s residency now!”, “Mele Kyari go home and face EFCC now!”, and “London is not for public officials who abused public trust”.
The group accused Kyari of fleeing Nigeria to avoid accountability for alleged financial misconduct during his tenure at the NNPC from 2019 to 2025.
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In a letter addressed to Sarafa Tunji Isola, the Nigerian high commissioner to the UK, the group described his presence in the UK without facing the consequences of his actions as “an affront to Nigerians” and “an insult to the esteemed anti-corruption crusade of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
“Your Excellency, this letter is not merely a petition—it is a demand— A moral, civic, and nationalistic demand. We, therefore, demand in the strongest terms that the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom refrains from according him 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 for the myriad allegations that trail his tenure,” they said.
“The coalition called upon the UK authorities to act in accordance with international anti-corruption agreements.
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“The United Kingdom and Nigeria have established reciprocal treaties and agreements to curtail their citizens from willfully engaging in corruption and other criminal activities. This relationship is intended to ensure that justice is served and that fugitive criminals do not find safe havens in foreign countries.”
Considering the allegation of “corruption and the severe impact on Nigeria,” they requested that the “Home Office expel Mr. Mele Kyari so that he can return to Nigeria”.
The group said it is important that Kyari faces justice “for his actions and that the stolen funds are recovered to aid in the nation’s recovery and development”.
On April 26, the Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe NNPC under the tenure of Kyari.
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