Between June 2022 and August 2025, Gwagwalada Area Council received a staggering flow of federal allocations amounting to several billions of naira — money meant to transform local governance, empower communities, and ensure the welfare of workers. Yet, in what has become a disturbing pattern, staff of the council continue to lament months of unpaid salaries, delayed entitlements, and general neglect. The figures tell a different story from the reality on the ground.
Official records show that within just 39 months, the council under Chairman Hon. Abubakar Jibril Girihas received tens of billions of naira in federal allocations. In some months, Gwagwalada’s allocation was among the highest in the FCT. For instance, December 2024 alone saw ₦1.1 billion transferred to the council’s account. Even in months of national economic decline, Gwagwalada consistently received between ₦600 million and ₦900 million.
But despite this flow of public funds, workers in the council have continued to struggle. Several civil servants confirmed off-record that they are being owed months of salaries and allowances, while casual staff complain of being completely sidelined. Basic administrative and infrastructural projects have either stalled or disappeared from the books entirely. Schools remain in poor condition, roads within the communities have become impassable, and health facilities are underfunded and unequipped.
Meanwhile, insiders allege that Giri has been living far above his legitimate earnings. Multiple sources within the council’s circle disclosed that the chairman has acquired several luxurious houses and expensive vehicles within and outside Gwagwalada during his tenure. The acquisitions, they say, sharply contrast with the financial struggles of the local government workers he presides over.
More shocking are allegations linking Ezekiel, the APGA candidate in the forthcoming council election, to Giri’s hidden financial dealings. According to credible reports, Ezekiel is suspected to be acting as a proxy for the chairman, purchasing properties in his name and handling contracts awarded under questionable circumstances. In return, Ezekiel allegedly remits kickbacks to the chairman through inflated project costs and phantom contracts. This arrangement, insiders claim, is part of a broader strategy to cover the chairman’s financial tracks and extend his political influence through stooges and loyalists.
Despite the billions received between June 2022 and August 2025, there is little to show for it in terms of development. Transparency and accountability appear to be completely absent from the council’s financial operations. Projects that were once proudly announced are now shrouded in silence, and procurement records are kept away from public scrutiny.
Residents of Gwagwalada have begun asking hard questions: where has all the money gone? Why are workers unpaid despite such massive allocations? Why do only a few appear to be benefiting from the council’s growing financial fortunes?
As Giri’s administration enters its final stretch, these questions have become louder, especially as investigative documents continue to emerge. The figures speak volumes — the allocations are real, but the development and welfare they were meant to bring remain invisible.
Our team at Chronicles Reporters will, in the next series, expose the properties and assets allegedly acquired by the chairman through this web of corruption and betrayal of public trust. The people of Gwagwalada deserve transparency, and the truth will not be buried under political power or hidden wealth.
The billions have been allocated — but who truly benefited?