The Yobe Justice and Accountability Forum (YJAF) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to immediately investigate the Secretary to the Yobe State Government, Baba Mallam Wali, over billions of naira reportedly allocated for various projects across the state.
The group also demanded that Wali be invited and questioned over the reported approval and processing of ₦1.5 billion for payments relating to the International Cargo Airport, Damaturu, as contained in an official document.
The demand followed a report by SaharaReporters which brought the alleged ₦1.5 billion airport payment and a wider project schedule to public attention.
SaharaReporters had reported that an official letter signed by Wali indicated that Governor Mai Mala Buni 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 cited in the report reportedly 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 at a time when residents continue to face 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 deserved particular scrutiny, especially the funds reportedly earmarked for boreholes and water reticulation.
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 forum demanded that the Yobe State Government disclose the locations of the projects, the contractors awarded the projects, amounts paid, supervising officials and the 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?” YJAF asked.
The group also raised questions over 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.
YJAF consequently called on the EFCC and ICPC to investigate the projects and financial transactions contained in the documents highlighted in the SaharaReporters report.
“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,” the group said.
The forum stressed that its demand was for an investigation and not for anyone to be convicted 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,” YJAF said.
The call for investigation comes against the backdrop of Yobe State’s persistent education crisis.
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 reportedly 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 continued 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 scale of infrastructure spending contained in the reported project schedule warranted greater public scrutiny, particularly given the level 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.
It demanded disclosure of the contractors, contract values, payment vouchers, certificates of completion and locations of the projects.
YJAF said the disclosures would enable citizens and relevant authorities to determine whether the projects were actually executed, whether public funds were properly utilised and whether the people of Yobe received value for money.
“Yobe belongs to its people—not to politicians or government officials. Public money must serve the public,” the group said.
The forum said it would continue to demand transparency, accountability and responsible management of public funds in the state.