Senate Voids Kyari Arrest Warrant, Rebukes Oshiomhole

Nigeria's Senate has formally withdrawn an arrest warrant issued against Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. The action came after the chamber determined that its public accounts committee lacked the constitutional authority to unilaterally issue such an order without explicit approval from the Senate President.

The warrant was connected to an ongoing investigation into a reported N210 trillion financial discrepancy in the NNPCL's records. During committee proceedings, heated exchanges occurred between lawmakers and Kyari's former colleagues, including NNPCL's Chief Financial Officer, who disputed claims that funds had gone unaccounted for and argued that the figures cited exceeded the company's total revenue during the period under review.

Kyari had previously written to the committee in May, citing medical treatment abroad as the reason for his inability to attend a scheduled hearing. He reiterated his willingness to cooperate with the investigation upon his return to Nigeria and expressed shock at the issuance of the arrest warrant, given his prior notification to lawmakers about his medical trip.

The Senate also formally rebuked Adams Oshiomhole, a panel member, for describing the NNPCL as a 'bunch of criminal thieves.' Senate leadership, through the chamber's presiding officer and acting on a motion by the Senate Leader, clarified that no committee possesses the power to authorize arrests except in strict compliance with legislative procedures and the explicit consent of the Senate President. The upper chamber stressed that NNPCL staff and management deserve the same patriotic consideration as other Nigerian citizens.