CBN, NNPCL, Others Snub Senate Over Missing Billions

Kehinde Fajobi

The Senate has issued a strong warning to top government agencies and officials, including the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); the Chief Executive of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji; and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), over their repeated refusal to honor legislative summons.

The lawmakers, raising concerns over billions of naira reportedly unaccounted for, expressed deep frustration at the continued disregard for queries raised by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAGF).

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Aliyu Ahmed Wadada (SDP, Nasarawa West), described the actions of these agencies as a direct assault on the Senate’s constitutional oversight powers.

He warned that if the defiance persists, the Senate would escalate the matter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and push for the removal of non-compliant agency heads.

“The affected agency heads are causing disharmony between the legislative and executive arms of government and sabotaging the President’s renewed hope agenda,” Wadada declared.

FIRS, Customs, NNPCL Among Defaulting Agencies

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), led by Zacch Adedeji, was singled out for ignoring eight invitations and refusing to respond to official communications.

“The Chairman of FIRS has intentionally refused to appear before this committee or respond to communications. He risks a warrant of arrest if he ignores the next invitation,” Wadada stated.

Other agencies mentioned for persistent non-compliance include:

Nigeria Customs Service

Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC)

Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited

Wadada noted that these agencies have collectively ignored up to nine consecutive invitations, a move he described as a deliberate attempt to obstruct accountability in public finances.

Senate Threatens Arrest, Public Exposure

The Committee Chairman insisted that no government official is above the law, emphasizing that even President Tinubu took time to present the national budget before the National Assembly.

“Whoever refuses to appear before this committee will face a warrant of arrest, and we will call on the President to disengage such persons,” Wadada declared.

He further warned that constitutional measures would be deployed against defaulting officials, including the public release of audit queries in national newspapers if they continue to ignore Senate summons.

With mounting concerns over missing public funds, the Senate has vowed to pursue the matter aggressively, insisting that all agencies must be held accountable in the interest of national development.

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