By Editor
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, on Wednesday tore into the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, branding it “a house of thieves with no reputation.” The outburst happened during a heated session of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts as lawmakers questioned NNPCL officials over N210 trillion in unreconciled funds flagged in audit reports between 2021 and 2024.
Oshiomhole, former Edo Governor and labour leader, called for the immediate arrest of ex-NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari. His reason: Kyari’s repeated failure to honour invitations to explain audit queries. “This is a show of disrespect to Nigerians,” Oshiomhole said. “It proves those who looted our commonwealth think they are above the law.”
The Senate panel is investigating discrepancies raised by the Auditor-General’s office. The issues include unremitted oil revenue, unclear subsidy deductions, losses to crude oil theft, and crude-for-product “swap deals” with poor documentation. Lawmakers stressed the N210trn is money “not properly accounted for” in NNPCL books, not proven theft. They want Kyari to explain the entries under oath.
Visibly angry, Oshiomhole told NNPCL reps: “You cannot be a limited liability company when it’s time to declare profit, and a government agency when it’s time to account for public money.” He argued that NNPCL’s commercial status under the Petroleum Industry Act does not remove its duty to account for public funds. “If there’s nothing to hide, let Kyari come and speak,” he insisted.
After Kyari failed to appear, the Senate Public Accounts Committee issued a warrant of arrest to compel his attendance at the next hearing. Committee Chairman Senator Ahmed Aliyu clarified that the warrant is a constitutional tool to enforce presence, not a declaration of guilt. Security agencies have been directed to produce the former GCEO before the panel.
NNPCL’s new management says it is cooperating with auditors and that many flagged items are reconciliation gaps between NNPCL, the Federation Account Allocation Committee, and NNPC Retail, not missing cash. Mele Kyari, who led NNPCL from 2019 to 2024, had not responded to Oshiomhole’s comments as of press time. During his tenure he pointed to reforms like the PIA, subsidy removal, and anti-theft operations.
Oshiomhole’s “House of Thieves” tag went viral within hours. Some Nigerians backed him, citing decades of fuel queues, subsidy secrecy, and dead refineries. Others warned that audit queries are not convictions and urged due process. Anti-corruption groups said the probe is an opportunity for transparency on how oil money is tracked from wellhead to treasury.
The arrest warrant puts pressure on Kyari to appear before senators or risk being picked up. Legal experts note that legislative warrants are routine in oversight and don’t mean guilt. The committee says it will proceed with the probe regardless, but Kyari’s testimony is critical to resolving questions around the N210trn and restoring public trust in NNPCL.
About The Author
