The Nigerian Senate has expressed concern over the failure of President Bola Tinubu’s high-ranking government officials, including Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Yemi Cardoso, and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Mele Kyari, to respond to invitations for audit-related inquiries.

The Senate’s Public Accounts Committee (SPAC), chaired by Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, announced on Tuesday, February 4, that arrest warrants would be issued if the officials continued to ignore the summons.

Following the queries raised against the officials, the committee, which is investigating several audit reports from the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AuGF), claims that they have been repeatedly invited to address the queries.

It was revealed that the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi are also at risk of arrest.

Wadada stated that the FIRS CEO had disregarded eight invitations, while NNPCL has never appeared before the committee.

“This is unacceptable. Nobody in Nigeria is above the law. If President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can appear before the National Assembly to present the budget, I wonder how an appointee can think he is too busy to honour an invitation,” Wadada stated.

Wadada pointed out that the officials who refuse to appear before the National Assembly are insulting President Bola Tinubu’s government.

He noted that officials who fail to appear will face arrest and risk losing their positions.
“From today, whoever refuses to appear before this committee will have a warrant of arrest issued against them. We will also call on the President to disengage any official who does not share in his dream of making Nigeria a better place.

“We have sent more than eight invitations to the FIRS chairman, yet he has refused to appear or even acknowledge our communications. If he truly believes in the Renewed Hope Agenda, why is he avoiding scrutiny?

“NNPCL’s management has never appeared before this committee. The few responses we have received from them are vague and insufficient. The next time they ignore an invitation, we will issue a warrant of arrest.

“We have tried repeatedly to engage the NCS, but they remain unresponsive. If this continues, we will have no choice but to take legal action,” Wadada warned.