Tension is boiling over in the Senate as lawmakers threaten to issue a warrant of arrest against the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Bayo Ojulari, following his continued absence from a high-stakes probe into ₦210 trillion in unaccounted funds.

Ojulari failed to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts on Tuesday, his fourth time skipping the hearing. The panel is investigating massive discrepancies in NNPC’s audited accounts, including ₦103 trillion in unexplained expenses and ₦107 trillion in receivables between 2017 and 2023.

The NNPC boss claimed he missed the session due to an emergency summons from President Bola Tinubu. His excuse was delivered by the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, who represented him at the hearing. But senators weren’t having it.

“This committee will not tolerate further excuses,” fumed Senator Aliyu Wadada, who chairs the panel. “Ojulari must appear by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, or we will issue a warrant for his arrest.”

Other lawmakers echoed the outrage. Senator Victor Umeh warned that hiding behind presidential summons was unacceptable, while Senator Joel Onowakpo accused Ojulari of acting like he’s above the National Assembly. Senator Aminu Abbas described the CEO’s repeated absence as outright disrespect.

The committee’s investigation is one of the most significant financial probes in recent Nigerian history, and lawmakers say they are determined to get answers, no matter who they have to drag in.