The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has ordered the arrest of former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, after he failed to appear before lawmakers investigating allegations surrounding N210 trillion in questioned financial records linked to the company.
The directive was issued on Wednesday following Kyari’s repeated absence from an ongoing probe examining audit queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation concerning NNPCL’s financial activities between 2017 and 2023.
The committee’s decision came after lawmakers rejected further delays in the investigation, despite appeals from some members who urged the panel to consider reports that the former NNPCL chief was receiving medical treatment in Germany.
Senators Saliu Mustapha and Tony Nwoye appealed for patience and requested that Kyari be granted another opportunity to appear before the committee.
However, several lawmakers opposed the request, insisting that the investigation had already suffered multiple postponements and should proceed without further delay.
Senator Abdul Ningi argued that claims regarding Kyari’s health condition should be supported by official documentation rather than verbal explanations. His position received broad support within the committee.
Senator Victor Umeh subsequently moved a motion calling for the former NNPCL chief’s arrest, while the committee’s Deputy Chairman, Senator Peter Nwaebonyi, seconded the motion.
Nwaebonyi noted that the committee had already held multiple sessions on the matter.
“This is the ninth time this committee is meeting on the 19 queries raised against NNPCL by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, three of which were chaired by me.
“Mr Chairman, the time to issue a warrant of arrest against Mele Kyari is now because the committee must conclude its assignment and report back to the Senate.”
Former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, also supported the move, arguing that the Senate must demonstrate its authority by enforcing compliance with legislative summonses.
“Some people believe they are bigger than Nigeria. The law must be effective when it catches the lion, not only when it catches the rabbit,” he declared.
Following a voice vote, Committee Chairman Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo ruled in favour of the motion and directed that Kyari be brought before the panel.
“Anywhere Mele Kyari is, he should be arrested and brought before this committee,” Dankwambo declared.
Strong Pushback as Former NNPCL CFO Rejects N210tn Allegation
At the centre of the investigation is an allegation that N210 trillion remains unaccounted for within NNPCL’s financial records.
However, former Chief Financial Officer of the company, Umar Ajiya Isa, strongly disputed the claim, describing the figure as inaccurate and inconsistent with the company’s actual financial performance during the period under review.
According to Isa, NNPCL’s total revenue between 2017 and 2023 stood at approximately N54.5 trillion, making the allegation mathematically impossible.
“To be clear, if money had gone missing at NNPC during our tenure, we would not have had the courage to publish audited accounts.
“For over 40 years, those accounts were either not prepared, not made public, or not even shared with the Auditor-General.
“N210tn is an enormous sum. NNPC’s total revenue in the period under review was about N54.5tn, even before deducting production costs. It’s impossible for N210tn to be missing or unaccounted for.”
Isa also dismissed claims that N5.8 billion was spent on the registration of NNPC Limited, urging lawmakers to verify the figures through relevant government agencies.
He warned that inaccurate allegations could damage both the reputation of individuals and Nigeria’s international standing.
“Unfounded claims do real damage. They harm the reputations of individuals, the company, and Nigeria itself.
“International rating agencies use public information to assess countries. Negative, inaccurate reports can hurt Nigeria’s credit rating and our national interests.”
The former CFO further cited the example of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline project, claiming that previous allegations and petitions had negatively affected efforts to secure approximately $2.5 billion in Chinese financing for the project.
“We’ve seen this before. While seeking about $2.5bn in Chinese financing for the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline, an unpatriotic petition was submitted to Chinese authorities. Despite a sovereign guarantee, the financing was disrupted, and the project remains uncompleted.
“Actions like that discourage public servants. At times, it’s frustrating. But as Nigerians, we remain committed to serving our country and contributing to its development.”
He also called on investigative agencies to establish the facts surrounding the allegation.
“When people claim N210tn is missing, they should be asked: where exactly did it go? Agencies like the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should investigate and establish the facts so Nigerians can trust the truth.”
High-Stakes Investigation Continues
As the investigation progresses, the committee directed Isa and former Chief Upstream Investment Officer, Bala Wunti, to appear before lawmakers again within two weeks.
The Senate panel is expected to continue its examination of the audit queries and determine whether further actions will be required as part of its ongoing investigation into NNPCL’s financial records.
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