By Hadiza Ahmed, Abuja
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, following his failure to appear before the panel investigating an alleged unaccounted N210 trillion linked to the company’s operations between 2017 and 2023.
The directive was issued after Kyari failed to honour the committee’s invitation during an ongoing probe into financial queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.
During the session, some lawmakers appealed for patience, citing reports that the former NNPCL boss was receiving medical treatment in Germany.
Senators Saliu Mustapha and Tony Nwoye urged the committee to grant Kyari another opportunity to appear before the lawmakers.
However, several members rejected the plea, insisting that the committee could no longer tolerate repeated absences.
Senator Abdul Ningi argued that claims about Kyari’s health should not be accepted without official documentation, while Senator Victor Umeh moved a motion calling for his arrest.
The motion was seconded by the committee’s deputy chairman, Senator Peter Nwaebonyi, who stated that delaying action further would amount to a “wild goose chase.”
According to Nwaebonyi, the committee had already held nine meetings over the 19 audit queries raised against the NNPCL, stressing that lawmakers needed to conclude their assignment and report back to the Senate.
Following a voice vote, committee chairman Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo directed security agencies to ensure Kyari appears before the panel.
“Wherever Mele Kyari is, he should be arrested and brought before this committee,” Dankwambo declared.
Meanwhile, former NNPCL Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya Isa, dismissed allegations that N210 trillion was missing from the company’s accounts.
He described the claim as misleading and inconsistent with the corporation’s audited financial records, maintaining that the total revenue generated by NNPCL within the period under review was about N54.5 trillion.
Ajiya argued that it was impossible for N210 trillion to be missing when the company’s earnings were significantly lower than the alleged figure.
He further stated that if funds had truly disappeared during their tenure, the management would not have published audited financial statements.
The former CFO also denied allegations that N5.8 billion was spent on the registration of NNPC Limited, describing the report as false and damaging to both the company and Nigeria’s reputation.
He urged the committee to verify the claims with the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, now known as the Nigeria Revenue Service.
Ajiya warned that inaccurate reports about the NNPCL could negatively affect Nigeria’s international image and credit rating, adding that false allegations had previously disrupted foreign financing arrangements for major national projects, including the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline.
He called on anti-corruption agencies, including the EFCC and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, to investigate the allegations thoroughly and establish the truth.
The committee subsequently directed Ajiya and former Chief Upstream Investment Officer, Bala Wunti, to reappear before it in two weeks as investigations continue. :::
