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), directing that he be brought before it “dead or alive” over his repeated failure to honour invitations in an ongoing investigation into the company’s finances.
News Point Nigeria reports that the decision came as lawmakers intensified scrutiny of NNPCL audit reports covering 2017 to 2023, which reportedly contain unresolved financial entries and discrepancies valued at over ₦210 trillion. The audit queries were submitted to the committee by the office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.
The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe North), resolved to invoke its constitutional powers to order Kyari’s arrest after he allegedly failed to honour multiple invitations. The resolution followed a motion moved by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), who said the committee could no longer tolerate delays in what he described as one of the largest financial accountability probes ever undertaken by the National Assembly.
Umeh insisted that Nigerians deserved answers, stressing that the committee could not continue waiting indefinitely while trillions of naira remained unaccounted for. His motion was seconded by Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North).
During the session, Dankwambo excused the current NNPCL GCEO, Bayo Ojulari, who was represented by the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun.
After deliberations, Dankwambo ruled firmly: “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.”
Senator Tony Nwoye (Anambra North) attempted to explain Kyari’s absence, saying he had recently spoken with him and that the former NNPCL boss had promised to appear. However, he added that he later learned Kyari was hospitalised in Germany.
Before he could finish, Senator Nwebonyi interrupted with a sharp point of order, saying, “You are not Kyari’s lawyer!”
Nwoye responded that he was not defending Kyari but only conveying information, adding that the decision on an arrest warrant rested solely with the committee.
Backing the motion, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) urged the committee to assert its authority, warning against selective enforcement of the law.
“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 said.
He insisted that the committee must act decisively, stating that failure to compel compliance would weaken parliamentary authority.
“This committee must have the courage and the will to deploy its powers and issue a warrant of arrest — not tomorrow, but today,” Oshiomhole added.
He further declared: “Bring Mele Kyari here, dead or alive. Even if he is dead, we want to see the body, and he will account.”
Oshiomhole argued that the allegations involved trillions of naira at a time Nigerians were facing hardship and the country was heavily borrowing. He stressed that Kyari must personally account for his stewardship and could not be represented.
He concluded that repeated failure to appear left the committee with no option but to invoke its powers.
Seconding the motion, Senator Nwebonyi said the committee had exhausted its patience, noting that it was already the ninth sitting on the matter.
“This committee is statutory. It is not a creation of the Senate,” he said, adding that Kyari’s absence showed disregard for the panel.
He warned that further waiting would amount to “a wild goose chase” and declared his full support for the arrest order.
The committee subsequently voted overwhelmingly in favour of issuing the warrant.
In a dramatic turn during the hearing, Umar Ajiya, former Chief Financial Officer of NNPCL, appeared before the committee and rejected allegations that funds were missing from the company’s accounts.
“There is no money missing. The report is inaccurate,” he told lawmakers.
Ajiya explained that the controversial figures were the result of accounting treatments involving different entities within the NNPCL structure and had been misinterpreted as missing funds.
“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, insisting that the corporation had acted transparently.
He added: “There are good people in NNPC. Nobody has the monopoly of patriotism.”
He also disputed claims that ₦5.8 billion was used to register the new NNPCL, insisting the correct figure was ₦2.9 billion paid to the Corporate Affairs Commission and NRS.
“Someone must have misled the committee,” he said.
His remarks triggered a sharp exchange with Oshiomhole, who reminded him that the committee was working from audit reports submitted by the Auditor-General’s office.
The session became heated after Ajiya suggested that criticism of the corporation was sometimes influenced by perceptions of access to its resources, prompting uproar in the chamber. At one point, Oshiomhole described officials of the corporation as “thieves,” forcing the chairman, Dankwambo, to repeatedly intervene and restore order.
The committee clarified that its findings were based on “unexplained figures,” not outright declarations of theft.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) urged restraint, warning against personal attacks and calling for cooperation to establish facts.
Facing growing pressure, Ajiya apologised, saying: “Mr Chairman, I apologise for my utterances, but please urge your colleagues to remain calm.”
He, however, maintained that no funds were missing.
Bala Wunti, former Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Upstream Investment Services, told the committee he had not received a formal invitation to appear.
“As of today, I have not received any formal invite,” he said, adding that he was willing to account for his actions.
Wunti explained he only learned of the hearing through Senator Ningi and requested additional time to study the audit report.
The committee granted him two weeks and also resolved to investigate why he was not formally invited. His matter was subsequently stepped down pending further review.