Audit Queries: Senate threatens warrant arrests against FIRS, NNPCL, others

The Nigerian Senate through its Public Accounts Committee, has threatened the issuance of warrant of arrests against the Chief Executive Officers of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) the Inspector – General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and others for refusal to honour its invitations yo respond to audit queries.

The Committee in an explosive press conference addressed by its Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada Ahmed (SDP Nasarawa West), on Tuesday at the Senate Wing of the National Assembly, vowed that steps would be taken for removal from offices, affected heads of agencies if they do not retrace their steps.

In doing that, Senator Wadada said the recalcitrant heads of agencies, would be reported to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the Senate and not even the Committee, that they are causing disharmony between the legislative and executive arms of government and by extension, sabotaging his renewed hope agenda.

He specifically alleged that the Chairman of FIRS, Zacch Adedeji, had ignored eight different invitations sent to him and even refused to respond to several communications forwarded to him.

Other agencies of government mentioned to have persistently refused to honour invitations of the committee are the Nigeria Customs Service , Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission ( NUPRC) , Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited that according to him , ignored invitations of the committee for Nine consecutive times .

“If the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinibu, will set aside his busy responsibilities to come to the National Assembly to present budget, I wonder how any appointee will think and feel that he is above the law or he is too busy.

“Whoever invitation is extended to and he or she refuses to appear before this all important committee, warrant of arrest will be issued and we will call on the president to disengage that person because the person does not share in the dreams of Mr. President for making Nigeria a better place.

“From  the  inception of this committee to date, more than eight invitations have been extended to the chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service who has intentionally refused to appear before this committee and also hasn’t been responding to communications at all from this committee. 

“From this moment, the line is drawn between this committee and Federal Inland Revenue Service whose Chairman, risks a warrant of arrest if he ignores the next invitation for appearance.

“For NNPCL as well, the line is drawn. The next invitation NNPCL does not honour, would attract warrant of arrest as well as call on President Tinubu to do the needful on the recalcitrant appointee.

“Similar fate awaits the Comptroller – General of Nigeria Customs Service, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and heads of other agencies earlier mentioned.

“Instruments and instrumentality of governance available to us by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , will surely be deployed against the affected heads of agencies.”