Group Demands EFCC, ICPC Probe Of SSG Baba Wali Over ₦20billion Projects Amid Rising Out-Of-School Kids, Water Crisis

 

Group Demands EFCC, ICPC Probe Of SSG Baba Wali Over ₦20billion Projects Amid Rising Out-Of-School Kids, Water Crisis

According to the group, more than ₦1.196 billion was reportedly allocated for boreholes and reticulation, while another ₦467.6 million was earmarked for 27 constituency boreholes.

The Yobe Justice and Accountability Forum (YJAF) has called for the immediate investigation of the Secretary to the Yobe State Government, Baba Mallam Wali, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over billions of naira reportedly allocated for projects across the state.

The group also demanded the arrest and questioning of Wali over the reported approval of ₦1.5 billion for payments relating to the International Cargo Airport, Damaturu, as contained in a document obtained by SaharaReporters.

The demand comes days after SaharaReporters reported that an official letter signed by Wali indicated that Governor Mai Mala Buni had approved the release of ₦1,501,766,245.66 to the Yobe State Ministry of Transport and Energy for payments relating to the International Cargo Airport.

An accompanying project schedule contained projects with a combined value of approximately ₦20 billion, including airport equipment and furnishing, runway lighting, modern markets, boreholes, electrification, a transit park and ₦3 billion for consultancy services.

In a statement signed by Hamisu Ishaq Damaturu on behalf of YJAF, the group said the reported allocations raised serious questions about the state’s spending priorities, particularly amid persistent challenges in education, water supply and healthcare.

“How can a government justify allocating billions of naira to projects and consultancy while hundreds of thousands of Yobe children are reportedly out of school, communities are crying for water, and citizens continue to complain about inadequate healthcare?” the group asked.

YJAF said the reported allocations for water projects deserve particular scrutiny.

According to the group, more than ₦1.196 billion was reportedly allocated for boreholes and reticulation, while another ₦467.6 million was earmarked for 27 constituency boreholes.

It demanded that the state government disclose the locations of the projects, contractors awarded the contracts, amounts paid, supervising officials and communities that benefited from them.

“Where are these boreholes? Who received the contracts? How much was actually paid? Who supervised the projects? Which communities benefited? Are the facilities functioning today?” the group asked.

YJAF also questioned the reported ₦3 billion allocation for consultancy services, demanding details of the companies or individuals engaged, procurement procedures followed, contract values, payment records and evidence of work carried out.

The group consequently called on the EFCC and ICPC to investigate the projects and financial transactions contained in the documents.

“We specifically call for the Secretary to the Yobe State Government, Baba Mallam Wali mni, to be invited and questioned regarding the approval and processing of the reported ₦1.5 billion airport payment and other projects contained in the schedule,” YJAF said.

It stressed that its demand was for investigation and not conviction without due process.

“YJAF is not asking EFCC or ICPC to convict anyone without due process. We are demanding that they investigate the allegations, examine the documents, trace the money and establish whether public funds were properly spent,” the statement said.

The group said any official found to have engaged in fraud, diversion of public funds, abuse of office, inflated contracts, procurement violations or misappropriation should be prosecuted in accordance with Nigerian law.

“No public official should be above investigation,” it said.

The call comes against the backdrop of Yobe’s persistent education crisis.

SaharaReporters had reported that data from Nigeria’s 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index showed that about 730,000 children aged between six and 15 in Yobe were out of school, representing 62.9 per cent of the state’s school-age children.

The figure placed Yobe third among Nigerian states with the highest proportion of children out of school, behind Kebbi, with 67.6 per cent, and Sokoto, with 66.4 per cent.

The data also indicated that Yobe had approximately 1.17 million school-age children, meaning nearly two out of every three children in the age group were not attending school.

The crisis has persisted amid wider humanitarian challenges in the North-East.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported in November 2024 that approximately two million children across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe were out of school, with insurgency, displacement, poverty and other crises disrupting access to education.

UNICEF also reported that 31 schools in Yobe were affected by flooding between July and October 2024.

YJAF argued that the state’s infrastructure spending must be subjected to greater public scrutiny given the scale of unmet basic needs across the state.

The group called on the Buni administration to publish the complete details of the projects contained in the reported ₦20 billion schedule, including contractors, contract values, payment vouchers, certificates of completion and project locations.

“Yobe belongs to its people—not to politicians or government officials. Public money must serve the public,” the group said.

The group said it would continue to demand transparency, accountability and responsible management of public funds in the state.