The outgoing Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Hon. Abu Giri, is facing a fresh corruption storm after a global anti-graft group accused him of running the council for months without an approved budget, spending public funds illegally while the legislature remains completely sidelined.
In a bombshell petition dated May 9, 2026, and received by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on May 11, the International Whistleblowers Network (IWBN) alleged that Giri — a former Speaker of the same council — has abandoned all constitutional pretense, authorizing salaries, contracts, and administrative expenses without any appropriation law.
“This is not a technical oversight. It is deliberate executive lawlessness,” the petition reads in part.
The group further revealed that Giri had earlier traveled with aides and even some legislative officials to Kaduna for a high-profile “budget retreat” at huge taxpayer expense — but no budget was ever transmitted to the Legislative Arm for consideration.
The Speaker of the Council, RT Mohammed G. Ibrahim, has publicly confirmed that no Appropriation Bill has been received, yet the executive continues to spend freely.
‘Every Day Is a Theft’
The IWBN argued that operating without a budget exposes public funds to padding, inflation, and outright theft, describing the situation as a “hallmark of a Banana Republic.”
The petition, signed by IWBN’s FCT Regional Coordinator Mr. Augustus Saint, cites multiple offences under the ICPC Act, the Penal Code, and the Public Procurement Act, including unlawful expenditure of public funds, abuse of office, and fraudulent procurement.
The group is demanding an immediate freeze on all council bank accounts, the questioning of Giri and his entire executive team, and the prosecution of anyone who authorized or benefited from the illegal spending.
ICPC Yet to React
As of press time, the ICPC had not issued an official statement. However, sources within the anti-graft agency confirmed that the petition had been logged and was undergoing preliminary assessment.
The development has sent shockwaves through the Federal Capital Territory’s political circles, with civil society groups calling the alleged act “a direct assault on local government autonomy,” weeks after the Supreme Court reaffirmed the financial independence of councils.
Hon. Abu Giri could not be reached for comment. Several calls to his mobile number went unanswered.