- Safiu Kehinde
Former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mele Kyari, has broken his silence hours after the Senate Committee on Public Accounts ordered his arrest.
NPO Reported that the committee had yesterday issued an arrest warrant over Kyari’s repeated failure to appear before the lawmakers for questioning over the financial misappropriation allegations filed against him.
In a heated session between the committee and Kyari’s representative, former Edo state governor, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, raised the motion for the arrest of the ex-NNPC boss.
Oshiomhole accused the NNPC of fraud with Kyari alleged to have repeatedly failed to honour the committee’s invitation.
The motion was adopted by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts as its chairman, Sen. Ibrahim Dankwambo affirmed the call for Kyari’s arrest as demanded by the lawmakers.
Reacting to the development in a letter dated 10th of May, Kyari expressed shock over the arrest warrant.
Kyari claimed that he was abroad on medical grounds and unable to attend the hearing physically.
According to reports, he maintained that his absence was solely due to health reasons and not an attempt to obstruct the committee’s work, pledging his full cooperation with the investigation.
“I am deeply shocked by the issuance of the warrant, especially as I had earlier communicated with your committee via a letter dated and received on 11th May, 2026.
“In that letter, I informed the Committee that I was out of the country on medical grounds. I also expressed my willingness to honour the Committee’s invitation as soon as I return to Nigeria,” Kyari wrote
The former NNPC boss further informed the lawmaker of readiness to respond to any questions from the committee in writing to avoid delaying its work.
“I wish to reiterate that I remain very willing and ready to honour the invitation of the Committee and to appear before it once I return to the country and at the convenience of the committee,” he stated.
In the earlier letter dated May 8, 2026, Kyari reportedly claimed being unaware of any formal invitation before learning of the committee’s directive that he appears before lawmakers over issues relating to NNPCL’s accounts during his tenure.
“However, I wish to respectfully state that I have neither received nor sighted the said invitation. Notwithstanding this, I would have gladly honoured the invitation and appeared before the Committee to provide any clarification required,” he wrote.
“Unfortunately, I am presently outside the country undergoing critical medical care and, due to these circumstances, I am unable to attend physically at this time.” He said.
Kyari also requested that any questions from the committee be forwarded through his legal representatives to enable him to provide clarifications while receiving treatment abroad.