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Reps Probe Agencies Over Budget Mismanagement
The Joint Committee on Finance and National Planning of the House of Representatives on Wednesday grilled several government agencies over alleged mismanagement of their 2023 budget at an interactive session held at the National Assembly Complex.
The session focused on assessing budget utilization, transparency, and compliance with fiscal regulations by various agencies.
Chairman of the Finance Committee, Rep. James Faleke, emphasized the importance of accountability, stating, “These meetings are crucial for evaluating the performance of agencies and ensuring public funds are spent prudently.”
The Director-General of the Centre for Management Development (CMD), Bitrus Chinoko, presented the agency’s report, explaining its role in providing training for national development.
Lawmakers, however, accused CMD of spending funds without proper appropriation. Rep. Faleke insisted that government-funded agencies must remit all revenues to the treasury, describing CMD’s actions as a breach of financial regulations.
The situation escalated when CMD’s Director of Finance and Accounts claimed the agency had permission to spend without appropriation. When asked to provide evidence, the DG apologized, blaming the director’s inexperience and admitting that the agency had violated due process.
Rep. Faleke warned CMD’s management of possible referral to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation over financial misconduct.
The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), represented by Director-General Mathew Adgboye, briefed lawmakers on its mandate of promoting research and development. Adgboye stated the agency had only sold old vehicles during the review period and had not disposed of any significant assets.
However, the Committee expressed dissatisfaction with NASRDA’s 2023 budget report. Rep. Ibrahim Ayokunle Isiaka, Chairman of the National Planning Committee, directed the agency to reappear next week with comprehensive and well-documented submissions.
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) was also scheduled to present its report, but lawmakers rejected the presentation due to the absence of the Registrar-General. Instead, the Commission was represented by its Director of Special Duties, Orji Uzona, who claimed the Registrar-General was ill and had authorized him to appear.
The Committee demanded a formal letter of authorization, which Uzona could not provide. Consequently, the lawmakers directed that the Registrar-General must appear in person next week.
Rep. Isiaka stressed the need for the 2025 budget to align with Nigeria’s development priorities, assuring that the Committees would collaborate with the Ministry of Finance and other stakeholders to ensure the budget is realistic and aligned with strategic goals.
Agencies, including CMD, NASRDA, and CAC, were directed to provide all required documents and explanations regarding their financial practices when they reappear next week.
The lawmakers reiterated their commitment to enforcing fiscal discipline and accountability, vowing to address any instances of financial irregularities.
President Bola Tinubu has formally written to the Senate, seeking approval for a $516.3 million foreign syndicated loan to support the construction of the Sokoto–Badagry highway.
In a communication read by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, President Tinubu requested a resolution in line with Sections 16 and 21 of the Debt Management Office (Establishment) Act, 2011, to enable the Federal Government to secure the financing for Sections 1, Phase 1A, and 1B of the project. The loan facility is to be arranged through Deutsche Bank AG.
President Tinubu explained that the superhighway project is a flagship initiative under his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, designed to enhance national connectivity, reduce travel time, and improve the movement of goods across key economic corridors.
The proposed 1,000-kilometre road will link Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos states, connecting Illela to Badagry.
He noted that the financing arrangement will be backed by a partial risk guarantee from the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), while the Federal Government will provide counterpart funding of over 265 billion naira for land acquisition, compensation, and related infrastructure.
According to the president, the loan is structured for nine years, including a three-year grace period, with an interest rate pegged at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange SOFR plus 5.3 per cent per annum. The Federal Executive Council has already approved the financing plan.
Following the presentation of the request at plenary, Akpabio referred the matter to the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, directing it to report back within one week.
Endorsing the move, the Senate President said that it is better to borrow for projects to improve road safety and foster national integration.
Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT chapter, Comrade Abdullahi Shafa, speaking after the meeting of the union leaders with the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, today.
He hailed the FCT minister for his quick intervention.
Watch:
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Court, arraigns four suspects, remands them in DSS custody, over Plateau killings, adjourns case till April 30
A Plateau State High Court on Thursday remanded four suspects in Department of State Services (DSS) custody over the March 2026 killings in Angwa Rukuba Community, Jos North LGA, and adjourned the case till April 30, 2026, for arraignment.
The arraignment of the suspects was not fully carried out due to the absence of defence counsels. They were arraigned in connection to the tragic killings of Angwan Rukuba community which occurred on March 28 and left no fewer than 30 persons dead including women and children.
The four suspects who were arraigned in Court in Jos on Thursday included Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar, also known as Auwalu Dogo, Musa Abubakar Ibrahim, also known as Yaroro, and others were alleged to have conspired to carry out the deadly attack.
The Plateau State Government had filed the charges against the suspects over the March 2026 killings in Angwa Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area.
The government said the suspects were arrested by the Department of State Services between April 3 and April 10, 2026, and have now been charged with offences including criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and other related offences.
According to the charge filed by the State Attorney General, Philemon Daffi, the defendants acted “contrary to Section 269 and punishable under Section 270 of the Penal Code Law of Plateau State, 2017.”
The charge stated, “That you… did conspire amongst yourselves to commit offences relating to terrorism when you planned, organised, facilitated, aided, and contributed money to carry out the attack in Angwan Rukuba… which led to the death of over thirty (30) people.”
When the case resumed on Thursday at Court 12 of the Plateau State High Court in Jos for arraignment, all the suspects who spoke through an interpreter sought for an adjournment to enable them to contact their counsels to represent them.
The prosecution counsel and Solicitor General of Plateau State, Joel Tagven, didn’t raise any objection to the defendant’s prayer to adjourn the matter.
He, however, appealed to the court for the suspects to be remanded in DSS custody pending the next adjourned case.
His plea was granted.
“Ordinarily, the matter is suppose to come up today but in view of the request of the accused demanding for lawyers, we can adjourn the case to enable them get lawyers of their choice. I also appeal that the suspected be remanded in DSS custody for easy access and continuation of investigation,” the Prosecution counsel said.
The presiding judge, Justice Gidelia FomYom, adjourned the case till 30th April 2026 for the arraignment of the suspects.
The suspects were immediately moved out of the court in a bus to the DSS facility.
In an interview with journalists, the Solicitor General of Plateau state appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the state with the enabling environment to prosecute the suspects in accordance with the law.
“We appreciate Mr. President for giving a marching order. And in fact, we appreciate him for four reasons. One, for giving the marching order whereupon the DSS made efforts which yielded to the arrest of these ones. Number two, the situation when met in the state over the years has been that prosecutions are not being done here in the state. The suspects are usually taken to Abuja and not prosecuted here.
“But today they’ve permitted us to prosecute them here. That is why we were arraigning them in court in the state here. And number three, you recall that when Mr. President came, he pledged or made an order that security materials, like the CCTV cameras and the like will be given to the state for purpose of security issues, and that will go a long way in helping to secure the state, and again, The issue of prosecuting them here, that’s another one.”
“This wasn’t the practice, but we give God the glory that this is now happening here, and it’s something to appreciate, Mr. President and the governor and even the Department of State Security for this collaboration and support to enable us have this matter prosecuted in the state,” the Solicitor General stated.
Tinubu wants Senate’s approval of $516m fresh loan for Sokoto–Badagry Highway
FCT Teachers Strike: NUT Hails Wike Over Intervention In Education Sector(Video)
Court, arraigns four suspects, remands them in DSS custody, over Plateau killings, adjourns case till April 30
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