The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has ordered the issuance of a warrant of arrest against former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, following his failure to appear before lawmakers investigating audit queries involving more than ₦210 trillion flagged in the company’s financial records between 2017 and 2023.
The committee’s decision followed growing frustration among senators over Kyari’s repeated absence from hearings examining alleged discrepancies identified by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.
During deliberations, Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole called for immediate action by the committee, arguing that the magnitude of the financial issues under investigation required urgent intervention.
“Mr. Chairman, this country must have the courage, the will, to deploy its powers as initiated in the Nigeria Constitution and issue warrant not tomorrow, today, and bring Mele Kyari, even dead or alive,” Oshiomhole said during the hearing.
He continued: “Even if he’s dead, we want to see the body and he will account. Here is a man who died without accounting for his alleged crime that rose into trillions of Naira. We are not talking of billions of Naira at a time when the country is borrowing money, we have huge sums of money that have not been accounted for.”
The Edo North senator stressed that the concerns under review originated from official audit findings rather than speculation.
“There are serious issues not raised by laymen, raised by competent auditors. And the man is joking? Where did he have the money to pay for his medical bill in Germany? Those who are dying here, what happens to them?” he said.
Oshiomhole also rejected suggestions that the former NNPCL chief could be represented by another official before the committee.
“Mele Kyari cannot be represented by a person, he is no longer a managing director and his responsibility is to account for his actions as MD. He cannot be represented in that capacity,” he added.
Subject of Probe
The Senate probe centers on audit observations that reportedly identified approximately ₦103 trillion linked to joint venture cash call expenditures and about ₦107 trillion recorded as sundry receivables in NNPCL’s accounts. Lawmakers have demanded detailed explanations for the transactions and supporting documentation.
The hearing also featured discussions over reports that Kyari was receiving medical treatment in Germany. While some lawmakers urged caution in light of his reported health condition, others insisted that his appearance before the committee remained necessary given the scale of the audit queries.
The Public Accounts Committee has maintained that all former and current officials connected to the audited accounts must personally account for decisions made during their tenure. The panel further emphasized that its investigation is aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.
As of the time of filing this report, no court has found Kyari guilty of any wrongdoing, and the Senate investigation remains ongoing. The former NNPCL chief has not publicly responded to the committee’s latest decision.
