Senate Committee on Public Accounts has ordered the arrest of former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Mele Kyari over allegations of N210 trillion in unresolved audit queries covering the period between 2017 and 2023.
The committee issued the directive on Wednesday after Mr Kyari failed to appear before it despite several invitations.
Chairman of the committee Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo announced the decision following a voice vote by members.
The committee is investigating issues raised by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation concerning NNPC’s financial records during the period under review.
Speaking during the session, Senator Adams Oshiomhole said the committee should exercise its constitutional powers to compel Kyari’s appearance, noting that he had repeatedly failed to honour its summons.
Lawmakers were informed that Kyari was in Germany receiving medical treatment. However, some members of the committee said his absence should not delay the investigation.
Senator Peter Nwaebonyi, vice chairman of the committee, said the panel had held several meetings on the matter and needed to conclude its work.
Following the vote, Dankwambo directed that Kyari be arrested and brought before the committee.
The committee had earlier summoned Mele Kyari alongside former Chief Financial Officer Umar Isa and former Group General Manager of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) Bala Wunti to respond to questions arising from audit reports.
At the centre of the investigation are two figures flagged by the committee. They include N103 trillion recorded as cumulative Joint Venture cash call spending since 2017 and N107 trillion listed as sundry receivables in NNPC’s 2023 audited financial statements.
During the hearing, Mr Isa rejected claims that N210 trillion was missing from the company’s accounts.
According to him, NNPC generated about N54.5 trillion in revenue during the period under review, making it impossible for N210 trillion to be unaccounted for.
He said if there were concerns about missing funds, agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) should conduct a forensic investigation.
Isa also warned that unverified claims could affect the reputation of both NNPC and Nigeria.
The committee directed Isa and Wunti to appear before it again within two weeks as the investigation continues.
