The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has ordered the arrest of Mele Kyari, former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), over his repeated failure to appear before lawmakers investigating the company’s finances.
Lawmakers are examining audit reports covering 2017 to 2023, which reportedly contain unresolved entries and discrepancies valued at over N210 trillion. The queries were forwarded to the committee by the office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.
The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, representing Gombe North, said it had resolved to exercise its constitutional powers after Kyari allegedly ignored several invitations.
The decision followed a motion moved by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and seconded by Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North).
Umeh said: “This matter has lingered for too long. Nigerians deserve answers. The committee cannot continue to wait indefinitely while critical questions concerning trillions of naira remain unanswered,”
Dankwambo ruled: “For Mele, I agree with you. We hereby rule that anywhere Mele Kyari is, the former group GCEO, should be arrested and brought before the committee immediately.”
Heated exchanges in the chamber
Senator Tony Nwoye (Anambra North) told the committee he had recently spoken with Kyari, adding: “I spoke to Mele Kyari about a week ago. He promised that he would be here. But incidentally, I learned last night that the man is hospitalised in Germany,”
He was interrupted with: “You are not Kyari’s lawyer!”
Nwoye responded: “I am not holding brief for Mele Kyari. I am duty-bound to bring this information to the committee. The decision on whether to issue a warrant of arrest is entirely for this committee to make,”
Backing the move, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) said: “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 added: “This committee must have the courage and the will to deploy its powers and issue a warrant of arrest — not tomorrow, but today,”
and: “Bring Mele Kyari here, dead or alive. Even if he is dead, we want to see the body, and he will account.
“These are allegations involving trillions of naira at a time Nigerians are suffering, and the country is borrowing heavily. His responsibility is to account for his actions as MD. He can’t be represented in that capacity.
“Mele Kyari can’t be represented. He is no longer the MD. Having failed repeatedly, we must invoke our powers to order the arrest of Mele Kyari.”
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi said: “This is the ninth sitting of this committee. This committee is not a creation of the senate. It is statutory,”
“I thereby second the motion, using our powers, to order the arrest of Mele Kyari. It goes without saying that the former CEO of NNPCL has no regard for this committee.
“Therefore, waiting for him will amount to what we call, in law, a wild goose chase, and I will not be part of that.”
The motion was overwhelmingly adopted, with the committee voting to issue a warrant for his arrest.
NNPCL officials push back on allegations
Former NNPCL Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya, rejected claims of missing funds.
“There is no money missing. The report is inaccurate,” he said.
He explained that the disputed figures were linked to accounting treatments within the NNPCL structure and had been misinterpreted.
“If money was actually missing when we superintended over the NNPC, we would never have had the courage to publish the audited accounts,” he said.
“There are good people in NNPC. Nobody has the monopoly of patriotism.”
Ajiya also disputed claims that N5.8 billion was used to register the new NNPCL, stating: “The money used to register NNPC is N2.9 billion, not N5.8 billion, paid to CAC and NRS. Someone must have misled the committee,”
Senator Oshiomhole, however, responded sharply, leading to a heated exchange that was repeatedly moderated by Senator Dankwambo.
Senator Abdul Ningi urged restraint and encouraged cooperation to establish facts, while Ajiya later apologised: “Mr chairman, I apologise for my utterances, but please urge your colleagues to remain calm.”
He maintained that no funds were missing.
Wunti denies receiving invitation
Bala Wunti, former chief upstream investment officer, told lawmakers he had not received any formal invitation.
“As of today, I have not received any formal invite from this committee. We are public officers. We are ready to be held accountable for our actions,” he said.
He was given two weeks to respond, while the committee also launched an inquiry into why he was not invited earlier.
