The Nigerian Senate on Thursday overruled its Committee on Public Accounts' decision to issue an arrest warrant against former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mele Kyari, for failing to appear before the committee. The upper chamber stated that only the Senate President has the authority to approve such a measure, in accordance with Senate rules and constitutional provisions.
Senate's Resolution
Consequently, the Senate withdrew the threat of arrest against Kyari and directed that no committee should issue such directives without the Senate President's approval. Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the resolution after a majority of senators adopted it via a voice vote during plenary.
Background of the Controversy
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had issued the arrest threat on Wednesday after Kyari failed to honor several invitations to explain an alleged ₦210 trillion discrepancy in reports submitted by the Auditor-General of the Federation for 2017 to 2023. The discrepancy came to light in June 2025 following public scrutiny of NNPC Ltd's audited financial statements. Nearly a year later, the matter remains unresolved.
Senate Leader's Motion
The issue was raised during plenary by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele under Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Rules, which allow senators to present matters of urgent national importance. Bamidele argued that the committee's proceedings and remarks by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who described NNPC officials as a “bunch of criminals and thieves,” could negatively portray Nigeria internationally. He emphasized that neither committees nor individual lawmakers have the constitutional authority to label anyone a thief without a court conviction.
“The power to issue a warrant affecting the liberty of a citizen is an extraordinary statutory power which must be exercised strictly in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law,” Bamidele stated. He also opposed the committee's independent issuance of the arrest warrant, insisting it required the Senate President's approval.
Oshiomhole's Clarification
Senator Adams Oshiomhole acknowledged that the committee lacks the authority to issue an arrest warrant on its own. He explained that the committee intended to communicate its recommendation to the Senate President for action. Oshiomhole clarified that his remarks were made in the heat of the moment and under provocation during the committee's proceedings. He urged the Senate President not to publicly suggest that senators lack knowledge of Senate rules.
“I owe a duty to the Nigerian nation... That is why I said, among other things, that the laws of the Senate will be meaningful when we use them to deal with people who have money, who are lions, not when we harass innocent, poor civil servants,” Oshiomhole said.
