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The Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC) has called for the arrest of former Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Mele Kyari over his repeated failure to comply with invitations
The committee, which investigated audit inquiries and alleged discrepancies running into trillions of naira in the NNPCL’s audited financial statements, determined that Kyari was arrested and brought before the NNPCL after he failed to appear despite several invitations.
The decision followed a suggestion by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) who expressed frustration over Kyari’s continued absence.
Umeh said the committee had waited more than a year for the former NNPCL boss to come forward and explain the issues raised in the Auditor General’s report.
“If we receive information that he decides to tell us that he is abroad and cannot attend, it shows that he does not take us seriously,” Umeh said.
“The problem before us is huge. What Nigerians want to know is the NNPC accounts report that has been audited and submitted to the Public Accounts Committee.
“We cannot wait for him to appear before us as he wishes.
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“This is a national emergency so Mele Kyari should cut short his trip to anywhere in the world and return home and appear before this committee to answer questions raised by the Auditor General of the Federation against the NNPC which he heads as Managing Director and CEO.”
The senator added: “The money we are talking about is trillions of naira. The state of the country is not good. If we had access to these funds, we would not be in the predicament we are in now.
“He has to come and explain what’s going on with these funds. I suggest that this committee issue an arrest warrant because he’s insulting this committee and we can’t let him get away with it.”
Before the motion was adopted, Senator Tony Nwoye (Anambra North) informed the committee that he had gathered information indicating that Kyari was receiving medical treatment abroad.
“The committee has the right to determine whether they will issue an arrest warrant against him or not. But I am obliged to say that this is the information I gathered, that the man is in hospital in Germany. Other decisions are in the hands of this committee,” said Nwoye.
