Senate orders arrest of CAC boss over failure ignored summons

Nigeria’s Senate Committee on Finance has issued a warrant of arrest against the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, following his alleged refusal to honour multiple invitations to appear before the committee.

According to reports, the decision was reached on Thursday during a budget defence session involving the Federal Ministry of Finance and its affiliated agencies.

Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Sani Musa, accused the Registrar General of persistently disregarding summons issued by the panel.

He added that the committee had concerns over discrepancies in the reconciliation of the commission’s revenue.

“We have issues with the reconciliation of the revenue of the CAC but each time we summoned him, he would send a junior officer,” the chairman stated.

A member of the committee, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, first raised the matter during deliberations, urging the committee to recommend Magaji’s removal from office to President Bola Tinubu.

According to Kalu, the alleged pattern of non-compliance amounted to disrespect for the Senate and undermined the oversight responsibilities of the National Assembly.

Another committee member, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, recommended that the Senate withhold approval of any budgetary allocation to the CAC in the 2026 Appropriation Act until the Registrar General personally appears before the committee.

Oshiomhole further suggested that the commission be barred from spending its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) without obtaining prior approval from the National Assembly.

The committee endorsed the proposal, signalling a possible tightening of legislative scrutiny over the agency’s finances.

Lawmakers indicated that their primary concern revolves around unresolved questions relating to the CAC’s revenue profile and financial reconciliation.