By Kingston Magare 11.6.2026
Nigeria’s Senate Thursday slammed former Edo governor now the Senator representing Edo North Adams Oshiomhole for branding the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) as ‘a den of criminals and thieves.’
Oshiomhole made the statement as he lashed out at the NNPCL former group managing director Mele Kyiri and other top officials for failing to appear before the Senate to throw more light on an alleged missing N210 trillion.
But during Thursday’s session Opeyemi Bamidele moved a motion urging the Senate to condemn and disassociate itself from Oshiomhole’s claims and also ruling out its Committee on Public Accounts warrant of arrest on Mr. Kyari.
Senators voted in agreement that the remarks do not represent the official position, resolution, opinion, finding, or determination of the upper legislative chamber.
During deliberations on the motion, lawmakers strongly condemned the comments attributed to Senator Oshiomhole, describing them as an unwarranted attack on the character of public officers.
The Senate maintained that such statements were personal opinions and should not be construed as the position of the institution.
Several senators, including the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, and the Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, cautioned the Edo State lawmaker against making remarks capable of undermining the integrity of public institutions.
Oshiomhole later withdraw his words stated that he acted under provocation.
“Rather than provide answers, we were told that senators do not have a monopoly on patriotism and were accused of recommending their children for employment in NNPC. The lawmakers were denigrated, and I reacted in defence of the Senate,” Oshiomole said
The resolutions come barely 24 hours after the Senate Committee on Public Accounts reportedly considered and recommended the issuance of a warrant of arrest against Mr. Kyari, over allegations that he failed to honour invitations extended by the committee.
However, the Senate resolution ruled that under the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, only the President of the Senate has the authority to issue a warrant compelling the attendance of any witness before the Senate or its committees.
The lawmakers declared that no Senate Committee has the power to independently issue, authorize, or execute a warrant of arrest without the approval of the Senate President.