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 honour invitations
The committee, which is probing audit queries and alleged discrepancies running into trillions of naira in NNPCL’s audited financial statements, resolved that Kyari be arrested and brought before it after he failed to appear despite several invitations.
The decision followed a motion by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), who expressed frustration over Kyari’s continued absence.
Umeh said the committee had waited for more than a year for the former NNPCL boss to appear and explain issues raised in the Auditor-General’s report.
“For us to receive information that he decided to inform us that he is abroad and is not available shows that he is not taking us seriously,” Umeh said.
“The issues before us are gargantuan. What Nigerians want to know about is this audited statement of NNPC accounts submitted to this Public Accounts Committee.
“We cannot wait for him to appear before us at his convenience.
“It is a national emergency that Mele Kyari should cut short his trip anywhere in the world and return home and come before this committee to answer the questions put by the Auditor-General of the Federation against the NNPC which he presided over as Managing Director and CEO.”
The senator added: “The money we are talking about is trillions of naira. The country is not faring well. If we had access to these funds, we would not be in the woods the way we are.
“He must come and explain what has happened to these funds. I move that this committee should issue a warrant of arrest because he is snubbing this committee and we cannot allow him to get away with it.”
Before the motion was adopted, Senator Tony Nwoye (Anambra North) informed the committee that he had gathered information indicating Kyari was receiving medical treatment abroad.
“It is within the committee to say they are issuing a warrant of arrest on him or not. But I am duty-bound to say that this is information I gathered, that the man is in hospital in Germany. The other decision is left for this committee to take,” Nwoye said.
(Ripples)
