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Amid the ongoing fuel scarcity in Nigeria and the $6 billion debt crisis of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, debates are ongoing over the fate of Mele Kyari, who oversees the latter's affairs.
On Thursday, September 5, Vice President Kashim Shettima summoned Kyari and Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources (oil), in what seemed like the first move to curtail the current crisis.
Recall that the NNPC on Tuesday, September 3, increased the pump price of petrol to ₦855 per litre —from about ₦600 — at some NNPC filling stations in Lagos.
In some states, the price has ballooned to over ₦900 per litre, further increasing transportation fares and the cost of essential food items.
READ ALSO: Jos motorists, commuters lament NNPCL’s fuel price hike from ₦617 to ₦897
Is Kyari's seat safe at NNPPC?
Amid all these crises, Kyari has mostly been blamed despite not being the Minister of Petroleum, a position held solely by President Bola Tinubu.
However, several advocacies for oil sector reforms and rejection of Kyari's dismissal have existed.
The Forum of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria, led by Comrade Friday Maduka and Dr Akbar Abubakar, discussed Kyari's dismissal as a distraction from real issues in the oil sector.
"We are miffed, and it is indeed laughable that composite ignoramuses are now situating themselves as experts in a field and speciality that they lack the basic foundational knowledge and expertise.
READ ALSO: Manufacturers express worry over impacts of petrol price increase on economy
"They are essentially not steeped in the calculus of error and scientific theory of observations concerning oil industry operations and the patriotic attempts by the Mele Kyari-led apex leadership administration to meticulously cleanse the Augean stables and give sail to the expectations and aspirations of the generality of Nigerians who earnestly desire Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) price stability," Comrade Maduka stated.
Nigerians in diaspora to lead protests in UK, UNGA for arrest, prosecution Kyari
In another development, Nigerians in the diaspora have announced plans for massive protests in London and New York, demanding Kyari's arrest and prosecution.
The protests are in response to NNPCL's recent admission of a $6.8 billion debt to petrol suppliers, a claim they initially denied.
Kolawole Akinmosu, who leads the pack, accused Kyari of gross mismanagement, corruption, and breaching international sanctions.
READ ALSO: #EndbadGovernance promoters to protest against Tinubu at UN General Assembly
"This brazen lie is a clear indication of the gross mismanagement and impunity that has plagued NNPC under Kyari's leadership," he said.
The group plans to stage protests in London with over 500 Nigerians and at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where more than 1,000 participants are expected.
Akinmosu noted that the ongoing fuel crisis, worsened by Kyari's alleged actions, has severely impacted Nigerians, disproportionately affecting women and children.