By David Akinmola
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, over his failure to appear before the panel investigating alleged financial discrepancies amounting to N210 trillion in the company’s accounts between 2017 and 2023.
The committee’s directive followed Kyari’s absence from an investigative hearing convened to examine audit queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation regarding the operations and financial records of the national oil company during the period under review.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, issued the order after members rejected appeals by some lawmakers to grant the former NNPCL boss additional time to honour the invitation. The senators argued that Kyari had repeatedly failed to appear before the panel despite several invitations.
Some members of the committee had urged caution, citing reports that Kyari was receiving medical treatment in Germany. However, other lawmakers insisted that the claim was unsupported by documentary evidence and should not delay the committee’s work.
The motion for his arrest was moved by Senator Victor Umeh and seconded by the committee’s deputy chairman, Senator Peter Nwaebonyi, who maintained that the panel could no longer afford further delays in concluding its investigation. Following a voice vote, the committee resolved that Kyari be compelled to appear before it.
The investigation centres on 19 audit queries and alleged discrepancies totalling about N210 trillion identified in NNPCL’s audited financial statements and related records covering 2017 to 2023. The Senate committee had earlier summoned Kyari and other former senior officials of the company to explain the issues flagged in the audit reports.
Meanwhile, former NNPCL Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya Isa, who appeared before the committee, dismissed claims that N210 trillion was missing or unaccounted for under the previous management. He argued that the figure exceeded the company’s total revenue of about N54.5 trillion recorded during the period under review and therefore could not represent missing funds.
Ajiya described the allegations as misleading and urged the committee to distinguish between accounting entries and actual cash transactions. He also warned that unverified claims could damage the reputation of the company and affect Nigeria’s standing with international investors and rating agencies.
The committee subsequently directed Ajiya and former Chief Upstream Investment Officer, Bala Wunti, to reappear before it in two weeks as it continues its investigation into the audit queries and prepares its report for submission to the Senate.
