By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has renewed its directive for the arrest of former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, over his alleged failure to honour repeated invitations to appear before lawmakers investigating audit queries involving about ₦210 trillion.
The order was issued on Wednesday during the committee’s ongoing probe into 19 audit queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation on the operations of the national oil company between 2017 and 2023.
Lawmakers insist that Kyari and other former top officials of the NNPCL must appear before the committee to provide explanations on disputed financial entries, including ₦103 trillion linked to joint venture cash calls and another ₦107 trillion recorded as sundry receivables in the company’s accounts.
Moving the motion for the renewed arrest order, Deputy Chairman of the committee, Senator Peter Nwaebonyi (Ebonyi North), argued that issuing yet another invitation to the former NNPCL chief would serve no useful purpose.
“This is the ninth time this committee is meeting on the 19 queries raised against the NNPCL by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, three of which were chaired by me,” Nwaebonyi said.
“Mr Chairman, the time to issue a warrant of arrest against Mele Kyari is now because the committee must conclude its assignment and report back to the Senate.”
The motion was subsequently adopted by the committee, with Chairman Senator Abdul Ningi Dankwambo directing security agencies to ensure Kyari’s appearance before the panel.
“Wherever Mele Kyari is, he should be arrested and brought before this committee,” Dankwambo declared.
The latest directive underscores the growing legislative scrutiny of the finances and operations of the state-owned oil company, particularly during the period covering its transition from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The committee is also examining expenditures and financial transactions associated with the restructuring process, which transformed the corporation into a commercial entity.
However, members of the former management team have strongly disputed suggestions that funds are missing from the company’s books.
Former Chief Financial Officer of the NNPCL, Umar Ajiya, dismissed claims that ₦210 trillion had been lost or misappropriated during the period under review, describing the figures as a misrepresentation of the audit issues being investigated.
“To be clear, if money had gone missing at NNPC during our tenure, we would not have had the courage to publish audited accounts. For over 40 years, those accounts were either not prepared, not made public, or not even shared with the Auditor-General,” Ajiya said.
“N210 trillion is an enormous sum. NNPC’s total revenue during the period under review was about ₦54.5 trillion, even before deducting production costs. It is impossible for ₦210 trillion to be missing or unaccounted for.”
Ajiya also rejected allegations that ₦5.8 billion was spent on the registration of NNPC Limited, insisting that the claim was misleading and unsupported by facts.
The renewed push by the Senate comes more than a year after Kyari’s removal from office in a sweeping overhaul of the oil sector.
In April 2025, President Bola Tinubu dissolved the NNPCL board and removed Kyari as Group Chief Executive Officer, replacing the management team with a new leadership headed by Bayo Ojulari as part of efforts to reposition the company and improve operational efficiency.
Kyari led the national oil company from 2019, serving under both former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Tinubu. His tenure coincided with major reforms in the petroleum sector, including the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, the commercialisation of NNPCL, initiatives to boost crude oil production, and efforts to revive Nigeria’s state-owned refineries.
At the same time, his administration faced sustained criticism over fuel subsidy management, refinery rehabilitation projects, crude-backed financing arrangements and broader concerns about transparency and accountability in the oil sector.
The Senate investigation is shaping up to be one of the most far-reaching legislative examinations of the former NNPCL leadership, with lawmakers maintaining that all audit queries must be satisfactorily addressed in the interest of transparency and public accountability.
While former officials continue to defend the integrity of the company’s audited accounts, the committee has vowed to conclude its investigation and present its findings to the Senate. :::