The Senate has dissociated itself from the warrant of arrest issued against former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, by its Committee on Public Accounts.
It also resolved that no Senate committee has the power to issue, authorise, or execute a warrant except in strict compliance with the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act and with the approval of the Senate President.
The upper legislative chamber further distanced itself from comments attributed to Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who reportedly described the NNPC as a “bunch of criminals and thieves” during the committee’s proceedings.
The controversy followed Wednesday’s decision by the Senate Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, to order Kyari’s arrest after he failed to appear before it to respond to questions on an alleged N210 trillion unaccounted for between 2017 and 2023.
The matter was later raised on the Senate floor on Thursday by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele through a point of order, where he cited relevant provisions of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, arguing that only the Senate President has the authority to approve such warrants.
Bamidele maintained that committees cannot independently issue arrest orders, while Senator Adams Oshiomhole defended his remarks, saying they were made under provocation in defence of the Senate’s integrity during the heated session.
Elijah Adeyemi
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