The Senate Committee on Public Accounts on Wednesday 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 lawmakers investigating alleged financial discrepancies amounting to ₦210 trillion in the company’s accounts between 2017 and 2023.
The committee issued the directive during an investigative hearing into 19 audit queries raised against the NNPCL by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
Kyari’s absence from the hearing drew sharp criticism from members of the committee, who noted that he had repeatedly failed to honour invitations despite several opportunities granted to him.
The hearing, however, took a dramatic turn when former NNPCL Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya Isa, dismissed claims that ₦210 trillion was missing from the company’s accounts, describing the allegation as mathematically impossible.
According to Isa, the amount being cited as unaccounted for exceeded the total revenue generated by the corporation during the period under review.
During deliberations, Senators Saliu Mustapha and Tony Nwoye appealed to the committee to exercise restraint, informing lawmakers that Kyari was reportedly receiving medical treatment in Germany and should be given another opportunity to appear before the panel.
Their appeal was opposed by several committee members, including Senator Abdul Ningi, who argued that any claim of illness should be supported with documentary evidence rather than verbal assurances.
Senator Victor Umeh subsequently moved a motion for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against the former NNPCL chief, a proposal that was immediately seconded by the committee’s Deputy Chairman, Senator Peter Nwaebonyi.
Nwaebonyi argued that further invitations would be futile, noting that the committee had already convened nine meetings on the audit queries without securing Kyari’s attendance.
“This is the ninth time this committee is meeting on the 19 audit queries raised against NNPCL. The time to issue a warrant of arrest is now because the committee must conclude its assignment and report back to the Senate,” he said.
Following a voice vote, Committee Chairman Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo directed security agencies to ensure Kyari’s appearance before the panel.
“Anywhere Mele Kyari is, he should be arrested and brought before this committee,” Dankwambo ruled.
Defending the company’s financial records, Umar Ajiya Isa maintained that NNPCL generated about ₦54.5 trillion in revenue during the period under review, making it impossible for ₦210 trillion to be missing.
“To be clear, if money had gone missing during our tenure, we would not have had the confidence to publish audited accounts. For over four decades, NNPC accounts were either not prepared, not published, or not submitted to the Auditor-General. The fact that audited accounts were released demonstrates transparency,” he said.
He also denied allegations that ₦5.8 billion was spent on the registration of NNPC Limited, describing the claim as false and urged lawmakers to verify the facts with relevant government agencies.
Isa warned that unverified allegations of financial misconduct could damage Nigeria’s international reputation and undermine investor confidence.
He further called on agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to thoroughly investigate the claims and establish the facts.
“When people claim ₦210 trillion is missing, they should be asked where exactly it went,” he stated.
At the end of the session, the committee directed Isa and former Chief Upstream Investment Officer, Bala Wunti, to reappear in two weeks as lawmakers continue their investigation into the audit queries and NNPCL’s financial operations during the period under review.
