Niger State Govt. Accused of N126 billion Fraud

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello

The Niger state government headed by Abubakar Sani Bello (Abu Lolo) has been accused of mismanaging N126 billion (One hundred and twenty-six billion naira). 

The allegations were championed by the House member representing Borgu constituency, Hon. Muhammad Bala Abba, during the State House of Assembly deliberations on the 2020 budget proposed by the governor on Tuesday January 6th 2020.

The member asserted that the people of Niger state have seen no value for the funds ear-marked for capital projects in the 2019 budget. Hon. Muhammad Bala Abba buttressed his point by opining that if N126 billion was actually spent on capital projects across the state then, each local government (municipality) ought to have gotten projects worth N5 billion but that was far from reality. 

Another member, Malik Madaki Bosso, of Bosso constituency laid what could be called credence to the allegation by pointing out the fact that many projects across the state are still yet to be completed. 

As the government is apt to do, the spokesman of the House, Musa Idris, has tried to put a dampener on the development saying the deliberations were in no way a means to drag the image of the government’s image in the mire and that media reports were wrong.

Hon. Muhammad Bala Abba also called on the government to improve the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) and also to complete the Agwara power project which attained 80% completion under the late Engineer Abdullahi Abdul Qadir Kure’s administration. 

Hon. Malik Madaki Bosso stressed the need for the executive to ensure respect for federal character as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution by including members of the Gbagyi tribe in political appointments.

Though nicknamed ‘the silent achiever’, it is popular opinion among Nigerlites (Indigenes of Niger state) that the Abu Lolo led government is among the most under performing in the country.