Senate Overrules Kyari Arrest, Slams Oshiomhole's Remarks on NNPC

In a significant development, the Senate has declared that the warrant of arrest issued against the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, is invalid. This decision was made during a plenary session, following a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele. The motion was in response to the Senate Committee on Public Accounts' recommendation to issue a warrant of arrest against Kyari for his alleged failure to honour invitations extended by the committee. The Senate also distanced itself from comments made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, describing the NNPC as 'a bunch of criminals and thieves.' The lawmakers emphasized that such statements do not reflect the position of the Senate and could undermine confidence in the institution. Bamidele warned that any attempt by a Senate committee to issue a warrant of arrest without authorization from the Senate President would be an unlawful exercise of power. He stated that the power to issue a warrant affecting the liberty of a citizen is an extraordinary statutory power that must be exercised strictly in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law. The Senate subsequently adopted a resolution formally dissociating itself from Oshiomhole's comments and clarifying that they did not represent the findings, opinion, resolution, or official position of the upper chamber. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin strongly backed the motion, describing it as part of the constitutional responsibilities of the Senate Leader. He maintained that the Senate must always operate in accordance with both its rules and the law of the land. The development comes hours after Kyari's reaction to the warrant arrest, claiming that he is currently outside the country, undergoing critical medical care. Kyari expressed surprise over the arrest warrant issued against him by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, stating that he had previously written to the committee, informing them that he was abroad on medical grounds and unable to attend the hearing physically. The claim was contained in a letter seen by Nairametrics and purportedly signed by Kyari on May 8, 2026. The letter began circulating following the arrest order issued by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts. In his response, Oshiomhole defended his comments, saying they were made in reaction to attacks on lawmakers by NNPC officials. He expressed his willingness to apologize if the Senate deemed it necessary. The Senate's decision to overrule the arrest warrant and slam Oshiomhole's remarks is seen as a significant move to maintain the institution's credibility and impartiality.