MAKURDI, NIGERIA — The Benue State Income and Expenditure Commission of Inquiry has uncovered ₦139.8 billion in unaccounted public funds spent during the eight-year administration of former Governor Samuel Ortom.
Loading ...The staggering financial discrepancy was revealed in a comprehensive report submitted directly to Governor Hyacinth Alia at the Government House in Makurdi.
The Probe and Timeline
In February 2024, Governor Hyacinth Alia inaugurated two separate judicial commissions to thoroughly probe the management of Benue State’s resources, assets, and overall financial dealings under his predecessor. The investigative panel, led by Chairman Justice Jubril Idrisu, spent months auditing the state’s books covering the period between May 2015 and May 2023.
According to the panel’s findings, Benue State received a total income of ₦826.5 billion from various revenue streams during Ortom’s two terms. However, the commission discovered that ₦139.8 billion of that money was completely unvouched for and left without any valid expenditure paper trails.
Key Infractions Discovered
The judicial panel detailed a pattern of systemic financial irregularities and a complete breakdown of fiscal responsibility. Key findings in the report include:
- Undocumented Bank Loans: The state frequently acquired bank loans, but repayments often far exceeded the original principal amounts borrowed, with no documentation justifying the excess charges.
- Massive Electronic Transfers: Billions of naira were moved through unexplained and undocumented electronic transfers to private and corporate accounts.
- Missing Project Records: Major contracts and capital projects lacked supporting receipts, vouchers, or proof of execution.
State Government Vows Accountability
Receiving the report on behalf of Governor Alia, Deputy Governor Dr. Sam Ode praised the commission for its meticulous work despite facing stiff resistance. He revealed that the previous administration and complicit financial institutions purposely withheld vital documents from the panel.
“This administration is built on the pillars of transparency, accountability, and the rule of law,” Dr. Ode stated. “We will carefully study these recommendations and take every constitutional and legal measure required to recover these stolen public funds and hold those responsible to account.” [1]
The panel has formally recommended that the Benue State Government initiate immediate legal steps to recover the missing ₦139.8 billion and prosecute all public officials and financial entities implicated in the grand heist.
