The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has ordered the arrest of former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, following his failure to appear before lawmakers investigating an alleged N210 trillion discrepancy contained in the company’s audited accounts.
The directive was issued after the former NNPCL boss reportedly failed to honour several invitations from the committee probing audit queries covering the period between 2017 and 2023.
Chairman of the committee, Ahmed Wadada, said the committee could no longer tolerate repeated absences by key individuals expected to provide explanations regarding the disputed figures.
According to the committee, the alleged discrepancy was flagged in reports submitted by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation and relates to financial records and transactions spanning six years.
Lawmakers have maintained that previous explanations provided by NNPCL officials were unsatisfactory and insisted that a thorough accounting of the funds was necessary in the public interest.
The Senate panel’s action marks the latest escalation in an investigation that has generated national attention since early 2026, when current and former NNPCL officials were summoned to explain multiple audit observations involving more than N210 trillion in expenses and receivables.
As of press time, neither Kyari nor his representatives had publicly responded to the latest directive.
The committee has indicated that its investigation will continue as part of broader efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in the management of Nigeria’s oil revenues.
