The Traffic

Protesters Storm UAE Embassy, Demand Mele Kyari’s Deportation Over Oil Sector Scandal

By Achimi muktar 

Abuja — The quiet, diplomatic corridors of the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Abuja were anything but serene on Wednesday, as a storm of youthful outrage swept through the gates in an unusual protest. Hundreds of Nigerian young professionals gathered in solidarity, demanding the deportation of Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), back to Nigeria to face a corruption probe.

Chanting slogans and carrying placards with messages like “No Asylum for Corruption!” and “Deport Kyari Now!”, the protesters, organized under the banner of the Young Professionals Forum (YPF), accused Kyari of orchestrating economic sabotage during his time at the helm of NNPCL.

A Call for Justice, Not Shelter

Speaking on behalf of the group, Barrister Sambari Benjamin delivered a fiery address, asserting that Kyari’s tenure was marked by “deliberate obstruction of local refining, disregard for national interests, and acts of personal enrichment.”

“He must return to face the music,” Benjamin said. “The UAE must not become a sanctuary for those who crippled Nigeria’s economic backbone. Mele Kyari’s alleged corruption didn’t just siphon funds—it siphoned hope from an entire generation.”

The Allegations: A Legacy of Economic Damage

The Young Professionals didn’t mince words. According to them, Kyari’s actions while leading NNPCL allegedly drained Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves, stunted national productivity, and left millions vulnerable to adulterated petroleum products due to the deliberate delay of local refining projects.

“He didn’t just fail in leadership,” Benjamin continued. “He strategically positioned failure and profited from it. If he is allowed to hide abroad, what signal are we sending to future leaders?”

Demanding UAE Accountability

The protesters called on the UAE government to uphold international standards of justice by refusing Kyari residency or asylum status, and to actively blacklist him to prevent any potential escape from justice.

“The implications of granting haven—whether deliberately or inadvertently—to Kyari are manifold,” Benjamin warned. “It would send a devastating message to Nigerians, especially the youth: that accountability is optional and that the elite can always run when it’s time to pay the price.”

More Than a Protest—A Plea for a Nation

This was no ordinary rally. It was a symbolic clash between impunity and accountability, between the power of the street and the silence of high places. The demonstrators urged the UAE not just to act, but to lead by example in global anti-corruption efforts.

“Let it not be said,” Benjamin concluded, “that the UAE, a nation with a reputation for high moral standing, became a safe harbor for one of the most controversial figures in Nigeria’s regulatory history.”

As the crowd slowly dispersed, the chants echoed through the diplomatic district—a chilling reminder that Nigeria’s youth are no longer watching in silence. They are demanding action. They are demanding justice. And they won’t rest until those who looted the future are brought back to face the consequences.