The Senate Public Accounts Committee has given Seplat Energy, Network E&P Nigeria Limited, Aradel Energy Limited and All Grace Energy Limited 48 hours to appear before it and respond to queries raised in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 audit reports of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, issued the ultimatum following the repeated failure of the companies to honour its invitations and provide explanations concerning issues contained in the NEITI reports.

The lawmakers warned that failure by the affected companies to appear within the stipulated period could result in the invocation of the National Assembly’s constitutional and legislative powers against them.

The committee expressed particular concern over a letter reportedly sent by Network E&P Nigeria Limited, in which the company maintained that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission was the regulatory authority to which it was accountable.

Reacting to the letter, Senator Abdul Ningi described the company’s response as “disturbing and provocative,” insisting that accountability to a sector regulator did not exempt any company from appearing before the National Assembly.

Ningi maintained that Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution empowered the National Assembly to summon any individual, organisation or government agency to provide explanations on matters under legislative investigation.

“Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution empower the National Assembly to invite anybody or agency for explanations on issues raised against them,” he said.

Senator Shehu Kaka Lawan, representing Borno Central, supported the call for sanctions against companies that repeatedly failed to honour the committee’s invitations.

He urged the committee to invoke its constitutional powers against the management of any company that continued to disregard its summons.

Following the deliberations, the committee directed the Managing Director of Network E&P Nigeria Limited to appear before it, warning that another failure to honour the invitation would attract the full weight of the Senate’s legislative powers.

Similar directives were issued to the managing directors of Seplat Energy, Aradel Energy Limited and All Grace Energy Limited after the committee noted their absence from the proceedings.

The four companies are expected to appear before the Senate committee and respond to the queries arising from NEITI’s audit reports covering the 2021, 2022 and 2023 financial years.

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