Kyari Hits Back at Senate Arrest Warrant: 'You Knew I Was Sick Abroad'

Former Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) boss Mele Kyari has fired back at the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, saying they knew he was abroad for medical treatment before they issued an arrest warrant against him.

In a letter to the committee chairman, Kyari said he formally notified them on May 11, 2026 — a full month ago — that he was outside Nigeria on medical grounds. He offered to respond to urgent questions through his lawyers until he returns.

“I'm deeply shocked by the issuance of the warrant,” Kyari wrote.

The Senate committee had on Tuesday ordered Kyari's arrest after he failed to appear before it for an investigation into NNPCL's financial records. The probe covers transactions reportedly worth over ₦210 trillion.

Senator Victor Umeh moved the motion for the warrant. Senator Adams Oshiomhole seconded it.

But Kyari says he never received any subsequent invitation. “Had the invitation reached me, I'd have gladly honoured it,” he stated.

He stressed that his medical condition makes it impossible to appear physically right now. But he reiterated his willingness to fully cooperate with lawmakers once he's back in Nigeria.

“I remain very willing and ready to honour the invitation of the Committee and to appear before it once I return to the country.”

Kyari also defended his time as NNPCL boss. He argued that his management transformed the national oil company from a loss-making entity into a commercially viable and profitable organisation. According to him, every transaction during his tenure was properly documented and available for scrutiny.

“I remain deeply grateful to my country for the opportunity afforded me to serve with utmost diligence and commitment,” he said.

Kyari was appointed Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL in 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari. He oversaw the transition of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into a limited liability company under the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021. His tenure saw NNPCL post its first profit in decades, but also faced criticism over opaque subsidy payments and refinery rehabilitation delays.

The arrest warrant raises a critical question: why would a committee issue such a drastic order against a former public official who had formally notified them of his medical absence and pledged to appear upon return?

The controversy is likely to intensify scrutiny of the Senate committee's handling of the high-profile probe in the coming days.