"It is not what we can sweep under the carpet. We intend to get to the bottom of the fact, all of the fact, nothing but the fact," said Olusola Adeyeye, a senator, reading out a statement from Senate leader Bukola Saraki. He did not specify what the alleged amount might be.

He spoke at the start of a parliamentary hearing to investigate accusations that MTN transferred at least $14 billion out of Nigeria without observing the country's laws. The company has denied this.

(Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Ulf Laessing)