Senate Panel Threatens Arrest Of NNPCL GCEO Over N210 Trillion Audit Query

FCT, ABUJA, NIGERIA – The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has threatened to issue a warrant of arrest against Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), for repeatedly failing to honour its invitations.

This follows his fourth consecutive absence from scheduled hearings concerning audit discrepancies amounting to N210 trillion.

Ojulari was expected to appear before the committee on Tuesday to respond to queries relating to the unaccounted N210 trillion between 2017 and 2023.

However, when the session convened, committee clerk Mohammed Abdullahi read out a letter from the NNPCL boss, dated July 22, 2025.

In the letter, Ojulari claimed he could not attend due to an emergency summons from President Bola Tinubu around 1:00 PM that day. Instead, Dapo Segun, NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), represented the company and delivered the message to lawmakers.

The explanation was met with fierce criticism from members of the committee, who unanimously insisted that Ojulari must appear before the panel on Wednesday at 3 pm without fail.

Committee Chairman Senator Aliyu Wadada, representing Nasarawa West, noted that this was Ojulari’s fourth snub, following three earlier invitations. He expressed frustration over the GCEO’s disregard for legislative oversight.

Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) acknowledged the gravity of a presidential summons but warned against its misuse.
“Using President Tinubu as an excuse for failing to appear before the committee should not be allowed to continue,” Umeh said, cautioning that it sets a dangerous precedent.

Senator Joel Onowakpo (Delta South) was more direct, accusing Ojulari of treating the National Assembly with contempt.“To me, the NNPCL boss thinks that he is bigger than this committee, and we don’t need a soothsayer to tell us that he will never honour our invitation unless we invoke our powers to compel him”, he said.

Similarly, Senator Aminu Abbas (Adamawa Central) described the GCEO’s consistent absence as disrespectful, stating: “No GCEO is bigger than the National Assembly. For failing to honour four separate invitations, he should be ordered to appear tomorrow (Wednesday) without fail.”

Wrapping up the session, Senator Wadada issued a stern final warning, saying, “This committee will not tolerate further excuses. Ojulari must appear, or we will issue a warrant of arrest against him”, he declared.

The Senate panel is investigating contradictions in NNPCL’s audited accounts, particularly the staggering figures of N103 trillion in accrued expenses and N107 trillion in receivables.

These discrepancies form the basis of the N210 trillion audit queries, which the panel insists must be resolved with full accountability from the company’s leadership.