The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has ordered the arrest of former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, over his failure to appear before the committee investigating allegations of an unaccounted ₦210 trillion between 2017 and 2023.
The decision was reached during an investigative hearing after Kyari failed to honour the committee’s invitation regarding financial queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
During the proceedings, some lawmakers urged the committee to grant the former NNPCL chief another opportunity to appear, citing reports that he was currently receiving medical treatment in Germany. However, several committee members opposed the suggestion, insisting that no official medical documentation had been submitted to justify his absence.
Leading the call for stronger action, Senator Abdul Ningi argued that verbal explanations were insufficient and that due process required documentary evidence. Senator Victor Umeh subsequently moved a motion for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against Kyari.
The motion was seconded by the committee’s Deputy Chairman, Senator Peter Nwaebonyi, who maintained that further delays would hinder the committee’s ability to complete its assignment.
“This is the ninth sitting on the 19 audit queries raised against the NNPCL. The committee must conclude its work and report back to the Senate. The time to issue a warrant of arrest is now,” Nwaebonyi stated.
Following a voice vote, members of the committee overwhelmingly supported the motion. Chairman of the committee, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, subsequently directed that Mele Kyari be arrested and brought before the panel to answer questions relating to the ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, former NNPCL Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya Isa, strongly refuted claims that ₦210 trillion was missing or unaccounted for during the period under review.
According to Isa, the figure being cited exceeds the total revenue generated by the company between 2017 and 2023. He stated that NNPCL recorded approximately ₦54.5 trillion in revenue during the period, making the allegation mathematically impossible.
“To be clear, if funds had gone missing during our tenure, we would not have published audited financial statements. For over four decades, such accounts were either not prepared or not made public. The claim that ₦210 trillion is missing is simply impossible when total revenue stood at about ₦54.5 trillion,” he said.
Isa also dismissed allegations that ₦5.8 billion was spent on the registration of NNPC Limited, describing the claim as false, misleading, and potentially harmful to the company’s reputation and Nigeria’s international image.
He warned that inaccurate public claims could negatively affect investor confidence, international ratings, and the country’s economic standing, while challenging those making the allegations to provide verifiable evidence.
As part of its ongoing probe, the Senate Committee directed Isa and former Chief Upstream Investment Officer, Bala Wunti, to return before the panel in two weeks as investigations continue into the audit queries surrounding the state-owned oil company.
