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: Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited
“These agencies have collectively ignored up to nine consecutive invitations,” Wadada lamented.
Wadada emphasized that if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could take time out of his schedule to present the national budget at the National Assembly, no government appointee should feel above the law.
“Whoever refuses to appear before this committee will face a warrant of arrest, and we will call on the President to disengage such persons,” he declared.
The Senator reiterated that constitutional instruments would be deployed against non-compliant officials, and the Senate would not hesitate to publish their audit queries in national newspapers if they remain defiant.
Credit: Vanguard
