Former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, says he is “deeply shocked” by the arrest warrant issued against him by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, insisting his absence from the probe was due to medical treatment abroad, not an attempt to obstruct the investigation.
In a letter dated 10 June 2026, Kyari said he had written to the committee on 8 May 2026, and the letter was received on 11 May, informing lawmakers that he was out of the country on health grounds and could not attend the hearing physically. He reiterated his willingness to appear before the panel once he returns to Nigeria.
“I am deeply shocked by the issuance of the warrant, especially as I had earlier communicated with your committee via a letter dated and received on 11th May, 2026,” Kyari wrote.
“In that letter, I informed the Committee that I was out of the country on medical grounds. I also expressed my willingness to honour the Committee’s invitation as soon as I return to Nigeria,” he added.
Kyari said he had offered to answer questions in writing to avoid delaying the committee’s work.
“I wish to reiterate that I remain very willing and ready to honour the invitation of the Committee and to appear before it once I return to the country and at the convenience of the committee,” he stated.
In his earlier letter of 8 May, the former NNPC boss said he was unaware of any formal invitation before learning of the committee’s directive that he appear over issues relating to NNPCL’s accounts during his tenure.
“However, I wish to respectfully state that I have neither received nor sighted the said invitation. Notwithstanding this, I would have gladly honoured the invitation and appeared before the Committee to provide any clarification required,” he wrote.
“Unfortunately, I am presently outside the country undergoing critical medical care and, due to these circumstances, I am unable to attend physically at this time.”
Kyari requested that questions be forwarded through his legal representatives so he could provide clarifications while receiving treatment.
He also defended his stewardship, saying proper records of all transactions carried out under his watch were maintained and remain available for verification at NNPCL.
“I remain deeply grateful to my country for the opportunity afforded me to serve with utmost diligence and commitment,” he said, adding that “all transactions carried out during my tenure were properly documented and available for scrutiny.”
Dateline Nigeria reports that the Senate Committee on Public Accounts issued the arrest warrant saying Kyari had failed to appear during an ongoing probe of NNPCL’s financial records.
The committee is examining more than ₦210 trillion in transactions and 19 audit queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation covering 2017 to 2023.