The committee took the decision after Kyari failed to honour its invitation for the ninth consecutive time, despite being the central figure in an ongoing probe of issues raised in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s reports covering the period under review.
Angered by his continued absence, lawmakers insist that the former NNPCL chief must appear before the committee to account for the questioned figures.
Senator Victor Umeh urged the panel to issue a warrant of arrest against Kyari, arguing that repeated invitations had been ignored and that the committee could not continue to wait indefinitely.
A motion for Kyari’s arrest was subsequently moved by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who argued that the committee had exhausted all reasonable efforts to secure his appearance.
The motion received overwhelming support from members and was adopted through a voice vote, paving the way for the issuance of a warrant to compel Kyari’s appearance before the committee.
During the proceedings, Senator Tony Nwoye attempted to persuade the committee to exercise restraint, disclosing that he had spoken with Kyari about a week earlier and that the former NNPCL boss had assured him he would appear before the panel.
Nwoye further informed the committee that he had received information indicating that Kyari was currently hospitalized in Germany.
His intervention sparked a heated exchange with Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, who maintained that Kyari’s repeated failure to appear showed disregard for the Senate and Nigerians.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, noted that the panel had given Kyari and other former NNPCL officials ample opportunity to appear and defend the figures contained in the audited accounts, stressing that the committee was carrying out its constitutional responsibility of ensuring accountability in the management of public funds.
Despite Kyari’s absence, the committee proceeded with the hearing and took testimonies from two members of the immediate past management of NNPCL — former Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya, and former Chief Upstream Investment Officer, Bala Wunti.
The committee reiterated its commitment to scrutinizing the accounts of government agencies and ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.