Sani alleges vested oil interests sponsoring Kyari probe clamour as lawyers mount pressure on Fagbemi to get cracking
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Former Senator Shehu Sani has dismissed as fake and sponsored the protests held by some groups in Abuja for the investigation of former Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, whom President Bola Tinubu fired “with immediate effect” on April 2.
Kyari was replaced by Bashir Ojulari in a clean sweep which also saw the sack of the NNPC board. The new helmsman has promised a full reorganisation of the oil industry regulator long suspected of vast corrupt practices.
Sani said the agitation for Kyari’s probe is a sponsored project by “displeased or disgruntled” oil interests.
“I came across some protesters at the Federal Secretariat Abuja, raising placards against the ex NNPCL CEO Kyari. Most of the young guys there don’t actually know what they were protesting about. They just joined.
“It’s clearly a sponsored project by some displeased or disgruntled oil interests against Kyari,” Sani wrote on his Facebook page.
Two protests against Kyari ran back to back on Tuesday and Wednesday, the first by regular citizens; the second by a group of lawyers who called themselves the “Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law”.
The protesters on Tuesday stormed the office of federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi in Abuja to demand the investigation and prosecution of Kyari over alleged corruption while in office.
Fagbemi on Wednesday promised to investigate Kyari when the second group comprising lawyers submitted a petition at the Justice Ministry calling for the immediate probe and arrest of Kyari.
A Deputy Director in the ministry, Winifred Adekunle, gave the assurance on behalf of Fagbemi.
“Your petition will receive immediate attention. There will be a response, and whatever questions you have asked will be addressed appropriately,” she said.
“Be assured that the Attorney General and the Solicitor General are people you can rely on. Whatever you have requested will be addressed.”
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