"Bring Mele Kyari Here, Dead Or Alive" — Oshiomhole Backs Senate Arrest Order In N210tn Audit Probe

Tension flared at the National Assembly as the Senate Committee on Public Accounts ordered the arrest of former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Mele Kyari, over his repeated failure to honour invitations in an ongoing investigation into audit discrepancies valued at more than N210 trillion.

The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, is probing audit reports covering NNPCL's financial activities between 2017 and 2023. The reports, transmitted through the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, contain numerous unresolved financial entries and audit queries requiring clarification from former management officials.

The decision to order Kyari's arrest followed a motion moved by Senator Victor Umeh, who argued that the committee could no longer tolerate delays in an investigation involving one of the largest financial accountability exercises currently before the National Assembly.

"This matter has lingered for too long. Nigerians deserve answers. The committee cannot continue to wait indefinitely while critical questions concerning trillions of naira remain unanswered," Umeh said.

The motion was seconded by Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi and received overwhelming support from committee members.

Responding to the motion, Dankwambo ruled that Kyari should be compelled to appear before lawmakers.

"For Mele, I agree with you. We hereby rule that anywhere Mele Kyari is, the former Group CEO, should be arrested and brought before the committee immediately," the chairman declared.

The session took a dramatic turn when Senator Tony Nwoye informed the committee that Kyari was reportedly receiving medical treatment in Germany.

"I spoke to Mele Kyari about a week ago. He promised that he would be here. But incidentally, I learned last night that the man is hospitalised in Germany," Nwoye said.

His intervention was met with resistance from some lawmakers, who insisted that the former NNPCL chief must appear in person.

Leading the charge was former Edo State Governor and Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who delivered one of the most forceful remarks of the hearing.

"Some people believe they are bigger than Nigeria. The law must be effective when it catches the lion, not only when it catches the rabbit," Oshiomhole said.

He argued that parliament risked undermining its authority if public officials could ignore legislative summons without consequence.

"This committee must have the courage and the will to deploy its powers and issue a warrant of arrest, not tomorrow, but today.

"Bring Mele Kyari here, dead or alive. Even if he is dead, we want to see the body and he will account.

"These are allegations involving trillions of naira at a time Nigerians are suffering and the country is borrowing heavily. His responsibility is to account for his actions as MD. He can't be represented in that capacity."

The hearing later shifted focus to testimony from former NNPCL Chief Financial Officer Umar Ajiya, who rejected widespread claims that funds were missing from the corporation's accounts.

"There is no money missing. The report is inaccurate," Ajiya told lawmakers.

According to him, figures that generated public controversy arose from accounting treatments involving different entities within the NNPCL structure and had been misinterpreted as evidence of missing funds.

"If money was actually missing when we superintended over the NNPC, we would never have had the courage to publish the audited accounts," he said.

Ajiya also disputed claims that N5.8 billion was spent to register the new NNPCL, insisting that the actual amount was N2.9 billion.

His comments sparked heated exchanges with senators, forcing Chairman Dankwambo to repeatedly intervene and restore order.

The committee also heard from former Chief Upstream Investment Officer, Bala Wunti, who said he had not received any formal invitation to appear before lawmakers.

"As of today, I have not received any formal invite from this committee. We are public officers. We are ready to be held accountable for our actions," Wunti said.

Lawmakers subsequently granted him two weeks to study the audit report and prepare his response while investigations continue.