Mele Kyari Testifies on ₦210 Trillion NNPCL Irregularities

Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), appeared before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts on Tuesday. His appearance followed months of lawmakers threatening to compel him to testify regarding alleged financial discrepancies and unresolved audit queries in NNPCL's accounts from 2017 to 2023, reportedly involving over ₦210 trillion.

The queries were sent to the committee by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation. The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe North), had previously resolved to use its constitutional powers to compel Kyari's appearance after he allegedly ignored several invitations.

Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) initiated this motion due to frustrations over perceived attempts to obstruct the investigation. Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) accused Kyari of failing to account for alleged financial mismanagement during his tenure and called for an arrest warrant, insisting that Kyari must appear in person.

The Senate clarified that only the Senate President could approve such actions and distanced itself from Oshiomhole's remarks labeling NNPCL as "criminals and thieves.".