Diaspora Group Cancels Protest Against Mele Kyari, Cites Misinformation and Sponsorship Concerns

By Mike Odeh James

A planned protest against the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engineer Mele Kyari, has been called off by a diaspora-based group over concerns of misinformation and possible external sponsorship.

The group, Nigerians in Diaspora for Peace and Unity, headquartered in Washington D.C., announced on Thursday that it was withdrawing from the protest initially scheduled to hold in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

According to the group, the decision to suspend the protest followed findings from a 10-man fact-finding committee set up to investigate the allegations against Kyari.

“We were ready to take to the streets because we were led to believe that Engr. Kyari had fled Nigeria to evade accountability for alleged financial misconduct during his tenure from 2019 to 2025,” the group stated.

However, after thorough investigation, the committee found no credible evidence to support the claims of corruption or mismanagement.

The statement, signed by the group’s Chairman, Chief Sebastian West Lokpobiri, reads: “We discovered that rather than mismanaging the company, Engr. Kyari played a critical role in reviving the NNPCL. His leadership brought transparency, operational efficiency, and a profit-driven focus to the once struggling national oil corporation.”

The group acknowledged that the decision to initially plan the protest was made without a full understanding of the situation and admitted to being misled.

“As a responsible organization, we do not take actions based on hearsay or media sensationalism. We are committed to promoting peace and unity, not fueling unnecessary discord. It is on this basis that we are suspending all protest plans,” the statement added.

The group further urged other Nigerian diaspora organizations who may have been similarly misled or influenced to protest to also reconsider their actions.

Last week, reports circulated that hundreds of Nigerians had demonstrated at the Nigerian High Commission and the UK Home Office in London, demanding Kyari’s deportation to face alleged corruption charges. But the Nigerians in Diaspora for Peace and Unity has now distanced itself from such movements.

“We commend Engr. Kyari’s efforts in repositioning the NNPCL and believe he should be recognized for his contributions, not vilified,” the statement concluded.