Following the worsening fuel scarcity across country demonstrators took to the streets of Abuja on monday demanding for the immediate sack of the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari
The protest follows NNPCL’s recent revelation that its mounting debt to suppliers is severely jeopardizing the country’s fuel supply chain.
The corporation had acknowledged that the financial burden is creating significant operational challenges and threatening the steady availability of fuel.
The Protesters who were singing and carrying banners with inscription like “End Fuel Scarcity Now,” “Kyari Must Go,” and “We Demand Transparency in NNPCL,” expressed their frustration with Kyari’s leadership, which they believe has failed to address the ongoing crisis.
Aminu Abbas, Convener of the Coalition of Concerned Civil Society Organizations, addressed the media at Unity Fountain, questioning why Nigeria, a nation endowed with vast oil resources, continues to suffer from persistent fuel shortages.
“To President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and all leaders, we say the time to act is now. Stand with the people, not with those profiting from our suffering. Kyari must be removed, and the NNPCL needs a complete overhaul to serve all Nigerians fairly. We will not remain silent,” Abbas declared.
He continued, “The fuel scarcity we face is not just a minor inconvenience; it is a deliberate act of prolonging our hardship. Under Kyari’s watch, the situation has deteriorated, with no solution in sight. His leadership has only served the interests of a privileged few while the general public suffers.
“Why must we endure endless queues, inflated prices, and constant uncertainty about whether we can fuel our cars or power our homes? The answer lies in the gross incompetence and mismanagement that have defined Kyari’s tenure.”