Former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, appeared before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts on Tuesday to answer questions over alleged financial irregularities involving the company.
Kyari arrived at Hearing Room 4 of the National Assembly accompanied by a team of oil company officials, months after lawmakers threatened to invoke their constitutional powers to compel his appearance.
The Senate is investigating alleged financial discrepancies and outstanding audit queries in NNPCL’s accounts between 2017 and 2023, involving more than N210 trillion.
The probe followed the submission of several audit queries by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, prompting lawmakers to demand explanations from Kyari and other former officials of the national oil company.
The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, representing Gombe North, had earlier threatened to take steps to ensure Kyari appeared before it following his alleged failure to respond to several invitations.
The development followed a motion by Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central, as lawmakers expressed concern over what they described as repeated attempts to delay the investigation.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole had also called for Kyari’s arrest, accusing the former NNPCL chief of failing to account for the alleged financial mismanagement during his tenure.
The former Edo State governor insisted that Kyari must appear personally rather than send representatives, arguing that he should explain how the company’s finances were managed under his leadership.
However, the Senate later clarified that its committees could not independently issue or enforce arrest warrants without complying with the provisions of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act and obtaining the Senate President’s express approval.
The upper chamber also distanced itself from Oshiomhole’s description of the NNPCL as “a bunch of criminals and thieves,” stating that the remark did not represent the official position of the Senate.
