The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has ordered the arrest of the immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, over his repeated failure to appear before it in connection with an investigation into alleged ₦210 trillion unaccounted funds.
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The order was issued on Wednesday during the committee’s investigative hearing on queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation against NNPCL’s financial records between 2017 and 2023.
The committee said Kyari had repeatedly failed to honour its invitation, despite the seriousness of the allegations under investigation.
During the sitting, some lawmakers, including Senators Saliu Mustapha and Tony Nwoye, urged the committee to exercise caution and grant Kyari another opportunity to appear.
They said the former NNPCL boss was reportedly ill and receiving treatment in Germany.
However, other members of the committee opposed the appeal, insisting that verbal excuses could not be accepted without documentary evidence.
Senator Abdul Ningi argued that the committee should not continue to delay its work on the basis of unverified claims of ill health.
Following the debate, Senator Victor Umeh formally moved a motion for Kyari’s arrest.
The motion was seconded by the Deputy Chairman of the committee, Senator Peter Nwaebonyi, who said further delay would undermine the committee’s assignment.
According to Nwaebonyi, the committee had met several times on the 19 audit queries raised against NNPCL and could no longer allow Kyari’s absence to stall the investigation.
“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,” he said.
Former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, also supported firm action, warning that the Senate would weaken its own authority if it failed to enforce compliance with its summons.
“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,” Oshiomhole said.
After a voice vote, the Chairman of the committee, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, ruled that Kyari should be arrested and produced before the panel.
“Anywhere Mele Kyari is, he should be arrested and brought before this committee,” Dankwambo declared.
At the centre of the investigation is the alleged ₦210 trillion said to be unaccounted for in NNPCL’s accounts during the period under review.
However, the former Chief Financial Officer of NNPCL, Umar Isa, challenged the allegation before the committee, insisting that no money was missing.
Isa described the ₦210 trillion figure as misleading and mathematically inconsistent with the company’s actual earnings during the period.
According to him, NNPCL’s total revenue between 2017 and 2023 was about ₦54.5 trillion before deducting production costs, making it impossible for ₦210 trillion to be missing or unaccounted for.
“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.
“₦210tn is an enormous sum. NNPC’s total revenue in the period under review was about ₦54.5 trillion, even before deducting production costs. It’s impossible for ₦210 trillion to be missing or unaccounted for,” he said.
Isa also dismissed claims that ₦5.8 billion was spent on registering NNPC Limited, describing the allegation as inaccurate and damaging.
He urged the committee to verify the figures with relevant agencies and warned that unfounded financial claims could harm reputations, investor confidence and Nigeria’s national interest.
According to him, negative and inaccurate reports could affect how international rating agencies assess Nigeria.
He also cited the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline project, alleging that a petition submitted to Chinese authorities disrupted about $2.5 billion in financing despite a sovereign guarantee.
Isa said agencies such as the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should investigate the claims and establish the facts.
“When people claim ₦210tn is missing, they should be asked: where exactly did it go? Agencies like the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and the EFCC should investigate and establish the facts so Nigerians can trust the truth,” he said.
The committee subsequently directed Isa and the former Chief Upstream Investment Officer during the period under review, Bala Wunti, to reappear before it within two weeks as the investigation continues.
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