Senate Directs Ojulari to Produce Kyari, Others for Probe Over N210trn Audit Queries, on April 29

• Gives NNPCL management 2-week ultimatum to appear 

•Demands detailed breakdown of disputed liabilities, expenditures 

•Warns of legislative action over repeated snub of summons

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

Senate on Wednesday heightened pressure on Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), summoning its current and former top executives to appear before it on April 29,over alleged N210 trillion yet to be properly accounted for in audit reports spanning 2017 to 2023.

The directive, issued by Senate Committee on Public Accounts, specifically mandated Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPCL, Engineer Bayo Ojulari, to lead the immediate past GCEO, Mele Kyari, alongside former Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajia, Dr. Bala Wunti, and the company’s external auditors to appear unfailingly before the panel.

The committee’s resolution followed a motion moved by Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West) and seconded by Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North), amid growing concerns over what lawmakers described as unsatisfactory responses from the national oil company to multiple audit queries.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Aliyu Wadada (Nasarawa West), made it clear that the senate would no longer tolerate vague or generalised explanations regarding the massive sum in question, insisting that Nigerians deserve full transparency and accountability.

According to him, the N210 trillion flagged in the audit reports remains inadequately explained, particularly the N103 trillion, which NNPCL reportedly classified broadly as “liabilities.”

“This committee, and by extension the Senate, is not satisfied with the blanket explanation given by NNPCL on the N103 trillion said to be liabilities,” Wadada said.

He added, “Liabilities are not a single line item. They comprise retention fees, legal fees, and audit fees. The specific amounts spent on each of these components must be clearly stated and justified.”

He demanded a comprehensive breakdown of the remaining N107 trillion, which the company claimed was expended on Joint Venture Cash Calls and debts allegedly owed by unnamed defunct banks.

“Detailed explanations must also be provided on the N107 trillion said to have been spent on JVC cash calls and funds tied to defunct financial institutions whose identities have not even been disclosed,” he added.

Wadada stressed that the committee had already raised 19 separate queries on the issue, but said the responses received so far fell short of legislative expectations.

He said, “Explanations or answers given by NNPCL to the 19 queries raised are unacceptable. Nigerians are entitled to convincing and detailed explanations on how public resources of this magnitude were managed.”

Consequently, the committee granted what it described as a final two-week window for compliance, warning that failure to appear on the scheduled date could trigger the invocation of the senate’s constitutional powers to compel attendance.

Wadada stated, “NNPCL is hereby given an additional two weeks to appear before this committee unfailingly. The deadline for compliance is Wednesday, April 29, 2026.”

The development followed mounting frustration among lawmakers over what they called repeated disregard for legislative invitations by key officials of the national oil company.

Earlier in the session, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) had called for a firmer stance, urging the committee to invoke the powers of the National Assembly to enforce compliance.

“We must treat this matter with the utmost seriousness,” Ningi said. “The essence of democracy rests significantly on the strength and authority of the legislature.”

He lamented what he termed a growing trend of public officials ignoring summons from legislature, warning that such actions undermine democratic institutions.

Ningi stated, “Unfortunately, there appears to be a growing reluctance by individuals to honour invitations from the National Assembly, leaving members feeling helpless in compelling appearances before committees.”

The senate’s latest move markd a decisive shift towards stricter oversight of NNPCL, as lawmakers intensified efforts to unravel discrepancies in the company’s financial records and ensure accountability in the management of the nation’s oil revenues.

With the April 29 deadline now set, attention is firmly on whether the summoned officials will comply—or face the full weight of legislative sanctions in what could become a defining moment in the National Assembly’s oversight role.