The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has ordered the Mele Kyari arrest after the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) failed to appear before lawmakers investigating alleged financial discrepancies running into N210 trillion.
The committee issued the directive on Wednesday during a hearing on the audit queries covering NNPCL’s operations between 2017 and 2023.
Lawmakers said the former NNPCL boss had repeatedly failed to honour invitations despite the ongoing investigation.
Some senators appealed for another opportunity to be given to Kyari, citing reports that he is currently in Germany receiving medical treatment. However, members of the committee rejected the request and insisted that the probe must continue.
Following a voice vote, committee chairman Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo directed security agencies to ensure that Kyari is brought before the panel.
“Anywhere Mele Kyari is, he should be arrested and brought before this committee,” Dankwambo said during the hearing.
Why the Senate Ordered Mele Kyari Arrest
The Mele Kyari arrest order is linked to an ongoing Senate investigation into alleged discrepancies discovered in NNPCL’s audited accounts.
Lawmakers are seeking explanations regarding figures contained in audit reports covering the period between 2017 and 2023.
The committee believes key officials who served during the period under review must personally appear to answer questions raised by investigators.
The Senate has maintained that obtaining direct explanations from former management officials is necessary before the investigation can be concluded.
Former NNPCL CFO Rejects Missing Funds Claims
During the same hearing, former NNPCL Chief Financial Officer Umar Ajiya Isa strongly dismissed allegations that N210 trillion was missing from the company’s books.
According to him, the claim does not add up when compared with NNPCL’s financial records.
He explained that the company generated approximately N54.5 trillion in total revenue during the years under investigation, making it impossible for N210 trillion to be unaccounted for.
Ajiya also challenged reports claiming that N5.8 billion was spent to register NNPCL Limited.
He told lawmakers that the actual amount spent was N2.9 billion and that the money was paid directly to government agencies, including the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
“That is not true. The amount used to register the company is N2.9 billion. It was paid to two government agencies, the CAC and FIRS. No third party was paid a kobo,” he said.
NNPCL Defends Its Financial Records
Ajiya further insisted that there was no missing money in the company’s accounts. He noted that NNPCL had published audited financial statements and made them available to the public for scrutiny.
He also warned that unverified allegations against the national oil company could harm Nigeria’s international reputation and affect investor confidence.
While the former CFO defended the company’s records, the Senate committee maintained that its investigation would continue until all questions surrounding the audit findings are fully addressed.
For now, attention remains on the Mele Kyari arrest directive and whether the former NNPCL chief will appear before lawmakers to respond to the allegations.
