Opposition parties in Borno State have called for an independent investigation into the inclusion of a reportedly non-existent ₦4 billion railway project in the state’s 2025 budget implementation report.
The controversy follows an admission by the state government on Monday that the project was wrongly listed in official records.
According to the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, an internal review revealed that no railway project was awarded, funded, or executed within the 2025 fiscal year in either the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council or Jere Local Government Area.
The project, which was reportedly marked as 100 per cent completed in the budget document, was described by the government as an “administrative error.”
Opposition Parties Call for EFCC, ICPC Investigation
Reacting to the development, the Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Borno State, Aliyu Balarabe, urged anti-corruption agencies to carry out a thorough and transparent investigation into the matter.
He questioned how such a large figure could appear in an official budget report without corresponding project execution or financial backing.
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Balarabe also expressed suspicion over what he described as recurring lapses in accountability, calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to intervene.
Similarly, the Spokesperson of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state, Baba Mustapha, described the situation as unfortunate and called for sustained public scrutiny.
He stressed that public funds must be properly accounted for, warning that such issues should not be ignored.
The opposition parties maintained that the matter should not be dismissed as a clerical mistake, insisting that only a full-scale investigation can clarify how the alleged ₦4 billion project appeared in the state’s financial records.
They urged relevant agencies to ensure transparency and uphold accountability in the management of public funds in Borno State.