• Oshiomhole, ex-NNPC finance chief clash as probe intensifies
•Former CFO insists no funds missing, says disputed figure exceeds company’s total revenue
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC) yesterday ordered the arrest of former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, over his repeated failure to appear before lawmakers investigating audit queries linked to an alleged N210 trillion in unaccounted funds.
The dramatic decision came amid a heated confrontation between former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, and former NNPCL Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya Isa, who appeared before the committee to defend the company’s financial records.
The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, resolved to issue a warrant compelling Kyari’s appearance after lawmakers expressed frustration over what they described as his persistent disregard for invitations extended by the panel.
The committee is probing 19 audit queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation concerning NNPCL’s financial operations between 2017 and 2023.
Moving the motion for Kyari’s arrest, Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) said the former NNPCL boss had failed to honour invitations for more than a year despite the gravity of the issues under investigation.
According to him, the allegations involve trillions of naira at a time the country was grappling with economic challenges and mounting debt obligations.
Although Senators Tony Nwoye (Anambra North) and Saliu Mustapha (Kwara Central) informed the committee that Kyari was reportedly receiving medical treatment in Germany, several lawmakers insisted that only documented evidence could justify his absence.
Deputy Chairman of the committee, Senator Peter Nwaebonyi (Ebonyi North), said the panel had already granted enough opportunities for Kyari to appear voluntarily.
“This is the ninth time this committee is meeting on the audit queries. The time has come for the committee to exercise its powers and ensure his appearance,” he said.
Oshiomhole backed the motion, arguing that the National Assembly must demonstrate its constitutional authority regardless of the status of those being investigated.
He maintained that the committee could not allow any public official to evade accountability on matters involving huge sums of public funds.
Following a voice vote, Dankwambo ruled that the warrant be issued and transmitted through the appropriate legislative channels for execution.
“Anywhere Mele Kyari may be, he should be arrested and brought before this committee,” the chairman declared.
The hearing later shifted focus to Ajiya, who strongly disputed widespread claims that NNPCL could not account for N210 trillion.
The former CFO told lawmakers that no money was missing and described the figure as mathematically impossible when compared with the company’s earnings during the period under review.
According to him, NNPCL generated approximately N54.5 trillion in total revenue between 2017 and 2023, making allegations of N210 trillion in missing funds unsustainable.
“To be clear, if money had gone missing during our tenure, we would not have had the confidence to publish audited accounts,” Ajiya said.
He also dismissed claims that N5.8 billion was spent to register NNPC Limited, insisting that the actual cost was N2.9 billion paid to government agencies, including the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
Ajiya urged lawmakers to verify the records directly from the relevant agencies and warned that unsubstantiated allegations could damage Nigeria’s international reputation and credit profile.
He further called for a forensic investigation to establish the facts and identify anyone responsible for wrongdoing, if any existed.
However, his submissions triggered a sharp response from Oshiomhole, who argued that the publication of audited accounts did not automatically absolve management of responsibility for issues raised by auditors.
The senator maintained that audit reports and management letters often contain serious observations requiring explanation and accountability.
Tension rose further when Ajiya suggested that many Nigerians sought employment opportunities for their children in NNPCL because of the corporation’s attractiveness.
Oshiomhole rejected the remark and accused the former executive of attempting to deflect attention from the issues under investigation.
The exchange prompted interventions from other lawmakers, who appealed for decorum and urged both sides to focus on the substance of the hearing.
Ajiya subsequently apologised to the committee for his remarks, and the apology was accepted.
At the end of the session, the committee directed Ajiya and former Chief Upstream Investment Officer, Bala Wunti, to return in two weeks with additional documents and clarifications as the investigation continues.
The Senate panel is expected to submit its findings after concluding hearings on the audit queries and financial transactions under review.
