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NNPCL GCEO faces arrest for shunning Senate invitation

Published

5 months ago

July 23, 2025

Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari

NNPCL GCEO faces arrest for shunning Senate invitation

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, to appear before it or face a warrant of arrest for repeatedly shunning invitations to defend audit queries.

Chairman of the committee, Aliyu Wadada, gave the directive during a session with NNPCL representatives at the National Assembly, warning that the Senate would not hesitate to invoke its constitutional powers should Ojulari fail to comply.

Ojulari, who has now failed to honour four separate invitations, instead sent the Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, to represent him, a decision that has infuriated committee members who insist the appearance is non-negotiable. Segun, appearing before the committee, said Ojulari’s absence was due to a sudden presidential invitation. According to a letter dated July 22, read aloud by the committee clerk, Mohammed Sani Abdullahi, the GCEO was summoned by President Bola Tinubu at around 1pm same day, which prevented his appearance.

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But senators dismissed the explanation, accusing Ojulari of serial disregard for the National Assembly. The committee is probing audit queries from 2017 to 2023, which flagged discrepancies amounting to N210 trillion, including unsubstantiated liabilities of N103 trillion. Lawmakers are alarmed that only N3 to N5 trillion was recorded in the company’s profit and loss account over the six-year period. “This invitation is not optional,” Wadada stated. “Anyone too big to comply with the law should consider relocating.” He clarified that the committee was not accusing the NNPCL of theft but stressed that the scale of the discrepancies demanded immediate and direct clarification. He described Ojulari’s failure to appear as “insulting” to both the committee and Nigerians, adding that public trust in the NNPCL hinges on transparency.

The lawmakers expressed unanimous frustration over the GCEO’s repeated absence. Senator Victor Umeh acknowledged that a presidential call might justify Ojulari’s latest absence but warned against using President Tinubu as a shield from legislative accountability. “That excuse should not be allowed to continue.”

He was supported by Joel Thomas Onowakpo who accused the NNPCL boss of treating the committee with disdain. “To me, the NNPCL boss thinks that he is bigger than this committee. We don’t need a soothsayer to tell us that he will never honour our invitation unless we compel him.”

Similarly, Aminu Abbas described Ojulari’s attitude as outright disrespect. “No GCEO is bigger than the National Assembly. For failing to honour invitations four times, he should be ordered to appear tomorrow unfailingly.”

The committee then resolved that Ojulari must appear in person by 3:00pm on Wednesday, or the Senate will proceed with the issuance of a warrant of arrest and initiate prosecution under the full weight of its constitutional authority.

NNPCL GCEO faces arrest for shunning Senate invitation

Related Topics:Featured GCEO invitation NNPCL Senate

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Ex-CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele Denies Allegations of Financing Terrorism

Published

3 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Trends Admin

Godwin Emefiele

Ex-CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele Denies Allegations of Financing Terrorism

Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has strongly denied allegations linking him to terrorism financing in Nigeria, describing the claims as “mischievous and malicious.”

In a statement released on Saturday, December 6, 2025, Emefiele said the reports were “entirely fabricated, baseless, and a deliberate attempt to malign my name, mislead the public, and sow confusion for motives best known only to the publishers and their sponsors.”

He emphasized that the fight against terrorism is too important to be trivialized by irresponsible reporting, warning that Nigerians deserve accurate information rather than “reckless misinformation.”

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“Throughout my service to the nation and in my private life, at no time have I been involved in any activity remotely connected to terrorism, terrorist financing, or any action that threatens the peace and security of our nation,” Emefiele stated. He added that he has never been invited, questioned, or investigated regarding such allegations and has no connection to the individual cited in the media reports.

“There is no scintilla of truth in the allegation,” he said, urging the public to disregard the claims entirely and calling on media organizations to verify facts before publishing sensational stories.

Emefiele’s statement seeks to reaffirm his reputation and distances him from any activities undermining national security.

Ex-CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele Denies Allegations of Financing Terrorism

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Shettima Inaugurates Multi-Million Naira Juma’at Mosque in Gumel

Published

4 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Trends Admin

Shettima Inaugurates Multi-Million Naira Juma’at Mosque in Gumel

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Friday inaugurated the newly constructed multi-million-naira Juma’at Mosque located within the Emir of Gumel’s Palace in Jigawa State.

According to a statement by Zainab Rabo, Senior Special Assistant on Media Affairs to Governor Umar Namadi, the event drew high-level dignitaries, including top politicians, first-class emirs, captains of industry, and prominent Islamic scholars from across the country.

Rabo disclosed that the mosque was built by the Kashim Shettima Foundation, adding that Governor Umar A. Namadi and the Sultan of Sokoto graced the ceremony.

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During the occasion, the Vice President congratulated the Emir of Gumel, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Sani, on marking 45 years on the throne, describing the milestone as a blessing and testament to exemplary leadership.

Shettima also reaffirmed his commitment—through his foundation—to initiatives that would improve the lives of Nigerians.

The Vice President further commended Governor Namadi for his notable strides in modern agriculture, noting that Jigawa’s progress under his leadership had positioned the state competitively within Nigeria and beyond.

“Governor Namadi is equal to the task, looking at his two-year achievements and the way he transformed Jigawa in modern agriculture,” Shettima stated.

Shettima Inaugurates Multi-Million Naira Juma’at Mosque in Gumel

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Police Launch Special Enforcement Team to Enforce Tinubu’s Ban on VIP Escorts

Published

4 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Trends Admin

Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun

Police Launch Special Enforcement Team to Enforce Tinubu’s Ban on VIP Escorts

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has deployed a Special Enforcement Team in Lagos to enforce President Bola Tinubu’s directive ending the use of police officers as escorts and guards for Very Important Persons (VIPs).

The operation, according to a statement posted on the Force’s official X account on Saturday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, commenced at about 10:00 a.m. on December 6, 2025, across key locations in Lagos State.

Hundeyin confirmed that the team carried out compliance checks at major points, including the Lekki–Ikoyi Link Bridge, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport domestic terminal, and other strategic hotspots within the state.

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He disclosed that officers found “satisfactory and commendable” compliance with the presidential directive, with no incidents of unauthorised police escort and no arrests recorded.

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, reiterates the Force’s commitment to the full implementation of the presidential directive,” the statement said. “The Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in redeploying its personnel to core policing duties aimed at enhancing general security, crime prevention, and the protection of lives and property nationwide.”

Hundeyin added that enforcement would continue across the country “without fear or favour,” urging Nigerians to support the push for a more professional and citizen-focused policing system.

President Tinubu had, on November 23, ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers from VIP protection, directing that they be reassigned to frontline policing roles. According to the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, VIP protection will now be handled by armed operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The policy aims to free up police manpower for critical security operations, particularly in underserved communities, and enhance overall national security efficiency.