The Nigerian Senate has issued a final warning to Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), threatening him with arrest if he fails to appear before its Public Accounts Committee (PAC) by February 4, 2025.
The warning comes after Professor Zabbey repeatedly ignored seven summons from the Senate committee, which is investigating the use of $360 million allocated for the environmental cleanup of Ogoniland in the Niger Delta.
Senate Questions Transparency in Cleanup Funds
The Ogoni cleanup project, overseen by HYPREP under the Federal Ministry of Environment, has been under scrutiny over concerns about fund utilization, transparency, and accountability. The committee, chaired by Senator Aliyu Wadada, is demanding explanations on:
- Breakdown of funds received for the cleanup, including allocations from the 2022, 2023, and 2024 budgets.
- Additional N6.6 billion allocated in 2023 for unspecified contaminated sites.
- Evidence of tax remittances to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) from 2022 to 2024.
- Current status and progress of the Ogoniland cleanup.
Repeated Absences and Deadline for Compliance
Senator Wadada expressed frustration over Professor Zabbey’s failure to appear before the committee on multiple occasions, dating back to December 18, 2023. Despite multiple rescheduling requests, the HYPREP coordinator has yet to provide the necessary accountability reports.
“After several failed attempts to get the project coordinator to explain how the funds have been managed, we have decided to set a final deadline,” Wadada stated. “If he fails to appear on February 4, 2025, we will have no choice but to invoke constitutional provisions to compel his attendance.”
What’s Next?
With millions of dollars at stake and the cleanup’s progress still unclear, the Senate’s ultimatum signals its growing impatience. If Professor Zabbey fails to comply, he could face a formal arrest warrant, escalating the probe into one of Nigeria’s most critical environmental remediation projects.
