NEITI Audit: You have 48hrs to appear for probe – Senate to four oil companies

The Senate's Public Accounts Committee has granted Seplat Energy, Network E&P Nigeria Limited, All Grace Energy Limited, and Aradel Energy Limited a 48-hour window to appear before them in connection with concerns raised by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) in its 2021, 2022, and 2023 audit reports. The committee, led by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, issued this ultimatum after some members expressed dissatisfaction with the companies' failure to attend previous committee meetings.

Senators Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) and Shehu Kaka Lawan (Borno Central) were among the first to demand sanctions against the companies. Ningi criticized a letter from Network E&P Nigeria Limited to the committee as "disturbing and provocative," while Lawan declared that the Managing Director of the company should appear before the committee on Thursday or face the full enforcement of legislative powers against him.

Similar threats were made against the Managing Directors of All Grace Energy Limited, Aradel Energy Limited, and Seplat Energy.

However, Dubri Oil Company Limited, which did appear before the committee, defended its $3.025 million royalty and gas flare debts, as reported by NEITI. The company's representative, Soyode Olusoji Clement, contested the allegations, stating that the report was compiled during a reconciliation issue with the Nigerian upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

He presented documents to prove that the reconciliation had been resolved and that no debt was outstanding. The committee has promised to study the documents critically before issuing a clearance statement.