Abuja, Nigeria – 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, following his failure to appear before lawmakers investigating audit queries involving approximately ₦210 trillion in the company’s financial records.
The directive was issued during a committee hearing held at the National Assembly in Abuja, where lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction over the continued absence of key former NNPCL officials expected to provide explanations regarding the company’s audited accounts covering the period between 2017 and 2023.
According to the committee, the investigation is focused on unresolved audit queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation. The audit reportedly identified financial discrepancies amounting to about ₦210 trillion, including over ₦103 trillion classified as accrued expenses and about ₦107 trillion recorded as sundry receivables in the corporation’s financial statements.
Committee members stated that several invitations had been extended to Kyari and other former senior executives of the national oil company, but they failed to honour the summons. The lawmakers subsequently directed security agencies to ensure Kyari’s appearance before the committee.
The Senate had earlier summoned the former NNPCL boss alongside former Chief Financial Officer Umar Isa and former NAPIMS Managing Director Bala Wunti to clarify issues surrounding the questioned financial figures and provide supporting documentation for transactions carried out during the review period.
Lawmakers maintained that the investigation is aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in the management of public resources. They stressed that all officials connected to the period under review must cooperate fully with the ongoing probe.
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