Senator Adams Oshiomhole
Barely 48 hours after a Senate committee ordered the arrest of former Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, over an explosive probe into more than N210 trillion in disputed audit entries, the Senate on Thursday dramatically overturned the move, publicly rebuked the committee, and distanced itself from controversial remarks made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
The stunning intervention by the Senate marked a major twist in what has rapidly become one of the most contentious investigations in recent legislative history.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele moved a motion on the floor of the chamber declaring that the Senate Committee on Public Accounts lacked the legal authority to independently issue a warrant of arrest and warning that some of the committee’s actions risked violating due process and undermining the credibility of the National Assembly itself.
The development effectively halted the arrest process initiated by the committee during Tuesday’s dramatic hearing into audit observations forwarded by the Auditor-General of the Federation involving alleged unresolved financial entries exceeding N210 trillion in NNPCL’s audited accounts from 2017 to 2023.
The controversy began when the committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, adopted a motion sponsored by Senator Victor Umeh calling for Kyari’s arrest after he allegedly failed to honour repeated invitations.
At the hearing, lawmakers argued that the investigation could not continue to stall while questions involving trillions of naira remained unanswered.
“This matter has lingered for too long. Nigerians deserve answers,” Umeh had declared before the committee voted overwhelmingly in favour of the warrant.
But the hearing exploded into controversy when Senator Adams Oshiomhole launched a blistering attack on the former NNPCL leadership.
Arguing that Parliament risked making itself irrelevant if it failed to enforce its summons, Oshiomhole declared that the law must be effective “when it catches the lion, not only when it catches the rabbit.”
He then urged the committee to immediately deploy its powers.
“This committee must have the courage and the will to issue a warrant of arrest—not tomorrow, but today. Bring Mele Kyari here, dead or alive,” Oshiomhole said.
The remark sent shockwaves through the hearing room and further heightened tensions that had already reached boiling point.
The atmosphere became even more chaotic when Senator Tony Nwoye disclosed that Kyari was reportedly receiving medical treatment in Germany.
Before Nwoye could complete his explanation, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi interrupted, accusing him of acting as Kyari’s defender.
“You are not Kyari’s lawyer!” Nwaebonyi fired back, triggering a heated exchange among committee members.
The confrontation represented only a fraction of the fireworks that followed.
During a separate session, former NNPCL Chief Finance Officer Bala Ajiya mounted a vigorous defence of the company’s financial records, insisting that there was no missing N210 trillion and accusing critics of misunderstanding accounting procedures.
“There is no money missing,” Ajiya repeatedly told lawmakers.
He argued that the disputed figures arose from accounting treatments within different NNPCL entities and had been wrongly interpreted as evidence of missing funds.
The explanation failed to convince Oshiomhole.
In one of the most explosive moments of the probe, the former Edo governor openly rejected Ajiya’s defence, accusing NNPCL officials of attempting to evade accountability.
At one point, Oshiomhole described officials of the national oil company as “thieves” and later referred to NNPCL as “a bunch of criminals and thieves,” comments that sparked uproar and forced Chairman Dankwambo to repeatedly intervene to restore order.
The remarks immediately became one of the most controversial aspects of the investigation.
On Thursday, the full Senate moved swiftly to contain the fallout.
Presenting his motion, Bamidele argued that no Senate committee possessed the power to independently issue a warrant of arrest, stressing that such authority resides exclusively with the President of the Senate under the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
He further warned that comments suggesting criminal guilt before the conclusion of investigations or judicial proceedings could compromise the integrity of the Senate and create the impression that legislative oversight had become a predetermined exercise.
The Senate Leader specifically cited Oshiomhole’s remarks describing NNPCL as “a bunch of criminals and thieves,” saying such statements were capable of conveying a conclusion of criminal culpability before any lawful determination had been made.
According to him, the Senate must never be seen as prejudging individuals or institutions under investigation.
His position received overwhelming support from lawmakers.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin praised the motion and reminded senators that committees derive their powers from the Senate and can only make recommendations on matters requiring Senate approval.
Chief Whip Mohammed Tahir Monguno warned that lawmakers could not make laws for the country while appearing to disregard those same laws in their own proceedings.
Other senators argued that the Senate’s credibility depended on strict adherence to constitutional procedures and cautioned against actions capable of portraying the institution as biased or engaged in a witch-hunt.
After extensive deliberations, the Senate adopted all the resolutions contained in Bamidele’s motion.
The chamber formally distanced itself from Oshiomhole’s remarks, declaring that they did not represent the official position, opinion, findings, or determination of the Senate.
Lawmakers also nullified and discountenanced the purported arrest warrant issued against Kyari by the Public Accounts Committee, effectively reasserting the Senate President’s exclusive authority over such matters.
The dramatic intervention now sets the stage for an even bigger confrontation over the future of the N210 trillion audit probe.
While the Senate has reaffirmed its commitment to uncovering the truth behind the disputed financial entries, the clash has exposed deep divisions over how far lawmakers should go in pursuing accountability from former NNPCL officials.
With questions over trillions of naira still unresolved, Kyari still absent, and tempers continuing to flare within the National Assembly, one of Nigeria’s most consequential financial investigations appears far from over. :::
This version reads like a front-page political investigation story and ties Thursday’s Senate intervention directly to Tuesday’s explosive N210 trillion probe drama.