The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to direct the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee to publish full details of all officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) implicated in the ongoing investigation into alleged ‘missing ₦200 trillion’.
In a Sunday statement signed by its Deputy Director, obtained by newsmen, SERAP urges Akpabio to publish the names and designations of all officials implicated in the alleged financial irregularities, “regardless of their social or political status.”
The organisation also directed the Committee to disclose details of the investigation, including audit reports, financial records, and official communications relied upon by the Committee, as well as the timelines for when any implicated officials should appear before it and for the conclusion of the investigation.
The statement reads, “The Public Accounts Committee is investigating allegations that about ₦200 trillion is missing from NNPCL’s accounts between 2017 and 2023. The Committee has raised concerns over unreconciled figures and a lack of supporting documentation, yet several officials have failed to appear or provide satisfactory explanations.”
SERAP noted that full disclosure of the ongoing investigation is essential to ensure transparency and accountability, prevent political interference, and allow Nigerians to independently scrutinise the facts and investigation.
SERAP maintained that “The allegations that ₦200 trillion is missing or unaccounted for, whether fully accurate or partly overstated, can only be taken seriously by Nigerians if the Senate is fully transparent in its ongoing investigation regarding the credibility, plausibility, and accuracy of the claims.
“Transparency regarding the ongoing investigation would prevent any perception of a cover-up or political compromise, and ensure that the facts are clearly established.”
The organisation argued that providing complete and verifiable information would allow the public and oversight institutions to assess the situation objectively and determine where the truth lies regarding the allegations.
“The magnitude of the sum, combined with the NNPCL’s history of opaque practices, underscores the urgency of a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation.
“Allowing these allegations to be ignored, delayed, or politicized risks normalizing impunity and diminishes the public’s right to know how national wealth is being managed,” the statement concluded.
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