No fewer than 500 lawyers and members of various civil society organizations on Tuesday stormed the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing the anti-graft agency of shielding the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, from prosecution.

Operating under the aegis of the Concerned Lawyers and Citizens Network (CLCN), the protesters described the failed refinery projects as “economic treason,” accusing Kyari of betraying Nigeria’s economic future. They demanded a forensic audit to trace the allegedly misappropriated funds.

The group further proposed that an independent international forensic audit be commissioned to guarantee transparency, while urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demonstrate his anti-corruption commitment by ensuring Kyari’s case becomes a “watershed moment” in the fight against impunity.

“If $4 billion had been properly invested, Nigeria would be self-sufficient in refining today,” said Ojonugwa, one of the group’s leaders, lamenting what he called the “double tragedy” of lost funds and prolonged energy poverty.

Addressing the EFCC, the protesters called for decisive action to restore public trust in the anti-graft agency, warning that Nigerians would hold it accountable if it failed to act.

They also urged citizens to remain vigilant and resist complicity, declaring: “The destiny of our nation rests in the courage of its people.”