The Senate has issued a stern warning to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the Chief Executive of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji; the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL); and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), among others, threatening them with arrest warrants for repeatedly ignoring its invitations.
Raising concerns over billions of naira reportedly unaccounted for, the Senate expressed dismay at the refusal of key revenue-generating agencies to answer queries raised by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAGF).
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Aliyu Ahmed Wadada (SDP, Nasarawa West), addressing journalists in Abuja, stated that the defiant attitude of these agencies undermines the legislature’s constitutional authority and sabotages national development efforts.
Wadada described the unaccounted funds as vital resources for national development. He vowed to seek the removal of non-compliant agency heads from office if they persist in their defiance, adding that the Senate would escalate the matter directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The affected agency heads are causing disharmony between the legislative and executive arms of government and sabotaging the President’s renewed hope agenda,” Wadada warned.
The Committee Chairman specifically accused Zacch Adedeji of FIRS of 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 repeatedly ignoring Senate invitations include:
Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC)
Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited
“These agencies have collectively ignored up to nine consecutive invitations,” Wadada lamented.