SENATE THREATENS ARREST WARRANT FOR OJULARI NNPCL GCEO OVER N210 TRILLION SCANDAL
GREATRIBUNETVNEWS–THE Senate Committee on Public Accounts has ordered Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to appear before it on July 10. This directive comes after NNPC Ltd officials failed to attend a scheduled meeting to answer questions regarding a staggering N210 trillion allegedly unaccounted for between 2017 and 2023, as detailed in audit reports.
THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY SHELL NIGERIA
Key Points:
– Alleged Financial Irregularities: The Senate Committee is investigating NNPC Ltd over financial discrepancies amounting to over N210 trillion in its audited financial statements from 2017 to 2023.
– NNPCL’s Absence: Despite being summoned, NNPC Ltd officials did not attend the meeting, citing a retreat, and instead requested a two-month extension to prepare detailed responses.
– Potential Arrest Warrant: The committee has warned that failure to comply with the summons may result in an arrest warrant being issued against Ojulari.
– Other Defaulting Agencies: The committee has also warned other agencies, including the FCT High Court and the Federal Ministries of Solid Minerals, Steel Development, and Finance, to appear before it or face similar consequences
The committee, chaired by Senator Ahmed Wadada, issued the directive during a brief session of the committee in Abuja after officials of the NNPCL failed to appear before it as expected.
Their presence was required to respond to queries raised last week regarding a staggering N210 trillion allegedly unaccounted for by the company between 2017 and 2023, as detailed in an audit report.
Rather than appear, the NNPCL, instead, in a letter signed by Adedapo Segun on behalf of the GCEO and read by the committee clerk, Sani Abdullahi, requested an additional two months to prepare a detailed response.
Wadada strongly rejected the request and condemned the absence of NNPCL officials, saying it demonstrated a disregard for the committee’s summons.
“We expected representatives from the NNPCL to be before us today to answer questions thrown at them last week on issues or queries raised in the audit reports before us.
“Their absence is unacceptable, and as a result, this committee is giving the relevant officials from NNPCL ten working days from today, which ends on July 10.
“This committee was not expecting any documents from NNPCL today, but answers to the eleven questions thrown at its representatives last week.
“Therefore, the GCEO of NNPCL must appear before us on July 10 for the expected answers.”
He added that the failure to appear on the scheduled date would leave the committee with no choice but to invoke and assert all its constitutional powers to compel the GCEO’s appearance.
Wadada also declared that the committee may adopt audit queries against other defaulting agencies.
“These agencies are the FCT High Court and the Federal Ministries of Solid Minerals, Steel Development, and Finance. If they fail to appear before the committee on Tuesday next week, they will hear from us,’’ he said.
