Mele Kyari appears before Senate panel over alleged N210tr NNPCL irregularities

Former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, has appeared before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts over alleged financial irregularities and unresolved audit queries involving more than N210 trillion in the company’s accounts between 2017 and 2023.

Kyari appeared before the committee at Hearing Room 4 of the National Assembly on Tuesday, accompanied by a delegation of oil company officials, months after lawmakers threatened to compel him to attend.

The investigation followed audit queries forwarded to the committee by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, prompting lawmakers to demand explanations from Kyari and other officials of the national oil company.

The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, representing Gombe North, had resolved to use its constitutional powers to compel Kyari’s appearance after he allegedly failed to honour several invitations.

The decision followed a motion moved by Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central, amid growing frustration among lawmakers over what they described as repeated attempts to frustrate the investigation.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole had also called for an arrest warrant against the former NNPCL boss, insisting that Kyari should personally account for his stewardship rather than send representatives to respond to questions about the company’s financial records.

However, the Senate clarified that no committee could issue or execute an arrest warrant without following the provisions of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act and obtaining the express approval of the Senate President.

The Senate also distanced itself from Oshiomhole’s description of NNPCL as “a bunch of criminals and thieves”, stressing that the remark did not represent the position of the Red Chamber.