….Lawmakers Cite Repeated Refusal To Honour Invitations
…Probe Linked To NNPCL Accounts From 2017–202
Daud Olatunji
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts on Wednesday ordered the arrest of a former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, over his alleged refusal to honour multiple invitations in an ongoing probe of the oil firm’s finances.
The panel’s directive followed mounting concerns over unresolved audit queries involving over N210tn in the company’s accounts spanning 2017 to 2023.
Chairman of the committee, Ibrahim Dankwambo, issued the order after a motion moved by Victor Umeh and seconded by Onyekachi Nwebonyi was unanimously adopted by lawmakers.
Dankwambo said the committee would invoke its constitutional powers to compel Kyari’s appearance, stressing that the probe could not be stalled indefinitely.
“For Mele Kyari, wherever he is, he should be arrested and brought before this committee immediately,” he ruled.
The committee is investigating audit reports forwarded by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, which flagged discrepancies and unexplained financial entries running into trillions of naira.
Lawmakers expressed frustration over Kyari’s repeated absence, describing the matter as one of the most significant financial accountability exercises undertaken by the National Assembly.
In a dramatic intervention, Adams Oshiomhole threw his weight behind the arrest order, insisting that the legislature must assert its authority.
“Bring Mele Kyari here, dead or alive. Even if he is dead, we want to see the body and he will account,” Oshiomhole said, drawing mixed reactions in the chamber.
He warned that failure to enforce compliance would erode the credibility of parliament, adding that the gravity of the allegations demanded urgent action.
However, Tony Nwoye attempted to explain Kyari’s absence, telling the panel that the former NNPCL boss was reportedly hospitalised in Germany.
His intervention was cut short after Nwebonyi raised a point of order, insisting that Nwoye was not authorised to speak on Kyari’s behalf.
Meanwhile, the hearing took another twist when a former Chief Financial Officer of the NNPCL, Umar Ajiya, dismissed claims that funds were missing from the company’s books.
“There is no money missing. The report is inaccurate,” Ajiya said, attributing the controversy to misinterpretation of accounting entries across different entities within the NNPCL structure.
He maintained that the company’s audited accounts were published in the interest of transparency and insisted that all transactions were properly documented.
Ajiya also refuted allegations that N5.8bn was spent on the registration of the new NNPCL, stating that only N2.9bn was paid to relevant agencies.
His remarks, however, sparked a heated exchange with Oshiomhole, who reminded him that the committee was relying on findings from the Auditor-General rather than speculation.
Tension escalated when Oshiomhole described some officials of the corporation as “thieves,” prompting uproar before Dankwambo intervened to restore order.
The chairman clarified that the committee had only identified “unexplained figures” and had not concluded that funds were stolen.
Also appearing before the panel, Bala Wunti said he had not received any formal invitation from the committee.
Wunti, who said he only became aware of the hearing through a senator, requested time to review the audit documents. The committee subsequently granted him a two-week extension and resolved to investigate the lapse.
Another lawmaker, Abdul Ningi, urged calm during the proceedings, stressing the need for cooperation to establish the facts and ensure accountability.
Despite the tensions, the committee reiterated its resolve to continue the probe and ensure that all those involved in the management of the NNPCL within the period under review are held accountable.
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