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Audit Flags ₦288bn in INEC Spending Irregularities Under Mahmood Yakubu

Published

1 week ago

December 22, 2025

Former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

Audit Flags ₦288bn in INEC Spending Irregularities Under Mahmood Yakubu

A total sum of ₦288,188,772,947.06 has been flagged in the operations of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following revelations in the Auditor-General’s Annual Report on Noncompliance and Internal Control Weaknesses in MDAs for 2022.

The report identified widespread financial and procurement irregularities involving contract awards, contractor payments, unretired advances and failure to remit statutory deductions between 2018 and 2019, during the tenure of INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

According to the audit, ₦5.31 billion was paid for the supply of Smart Card Readers (SCRs) for the 2019 general elections using a restricted procurement method without prior approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) did not approve the contract despite its value exceeding the INEC Tender Board’s approval threshold, while the Auditor-General noted that the cited presidential clearance did not align with Section 15(2) of the Public Procurement Act, which was deemed inapplicable to the procurement of smart card readers.

The audit further alleged that mobilisation fees and subsequent payments were released without sufficient documentation or proof of supply.

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Responding to the findings, INEC management maintained that due process was followed, stating that approvals were obtained from the Presidency and that advance payments were made due to the urgency of preparations for the 2019 elections. INEC said all required documents and guarantees were in place.

However, the Auditor-General described INEC’s explanations as unsatisfactory.

The report also queried ₦4.5 billion paid as 35 per cent contract payments to six contractors without documentary evidence of supply, as well as the use of conditional Advance Payment Guarantees, which allegedly violated procurement laws.

Further concerns were raised over ₦331.2 million paid to contractors under questionable circumstances, including payments allegedly made before contract awards.

In addition, the audit revealed that ₦235.79 billion was paid to contractors without deducting the mandatory 1 per cent stamp duty, amounting to ₦2.19 billion, which was neither deducted nor remitted to government coffers.

The report also found that ₦630.6 million in non-personal advances issued to INEC officials remained unretired, with some officers allegedly receiving fresh advances without accounting for previous ones.

Another major finding involved contracts worth ₦41.31 billion for the production of ballot papers and result sheets, with the audit stating that there was no evidence showing that the contractors met eligibility and experience requirements, nor proof of FEC approval or a “No Objection” certificate from the BPP.

The audit also flagged the procurement of four Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles for ₦297.78 million, noting that the contract sum exceeded prevailing market prices at the time.

While INEC insisted that all procurements complied with legal requirements and presidential approvals, the Auditor-General ruled that the responses did not sufficiently address the audit observations.

The report recommended that the INEC Chairman should account for the disputed funds before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committees, recover irregular payments and refund them to the Treasury.

It warned that failure to comply could attract sanctions under the Financial Regulations (2009) for irregular payments and poor management of public funds.

Audit Flags ₦288bn in INEC Spending Irregularities Under Mahmood Yakubu

Related Topics:audit Featured INEC Mahmood Yakubu

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Gunmen Attack Gebbe Community in Kebbi, Many Feared Dead

Published

15 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Trends Admin

Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, Bello Muhammad Sani

Gunmen Attack Gebbe Community in Kebbi, Many Feared Dead

Suspected gunmen have launched a deadly attack on Gebbe community in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State, leaving an undisclosed number of people feared dead and several others injured.

Eyewitnesses said the assailants struck suddenly, firing sporadic gunshots that threw the community into panic, forcing residents to flee to neighbouring villages and nearby bushes for safety.

Local sources disclosed that the exact number of casualties could not be immediately ascertained due to the scale of the attack and the displacement of residents. The incident has reportedly left the community, which has not experienced such violence in years, in a state of shock and trauma.

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Confirming the incident, the Kebbi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, said police operatives have been deployed to the area to assess the situation.

“The police are currently on ground to determine the number of casualties and injured persons. An official statement will be issued as soon as investigations are concluded,” he said.

Some residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that security agencies have mobilised to restore calm in the area.

Meanwhile, community members have appealed to the Kebbi State Government and security agencies to provide urgent intervention, describing the attack as unprecedented in the history of Gebbe community.

Gunmen Attack Gebbe Community in Kebbi, Many Feared Dead

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Three Killed, NSCDC Outpost Burnt in Katsina Youths–Police Clash

Published

15 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Trends Admin

Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Katsina State Command, DSP Abubakar Aliyu

Three Killed, NSCDC Outpost Burnt in Katsina Youths–Police Clash

No fewer than three persons were killed and several others injured following violent clashes between youths and security operatives in Katsina metropolis, Katsina State.

The unrest reportedly began late on Friday, December 27, around 10:00 p.m., when police operatives raided suspected criminal hideouts in Sabuwar Unguwa Quarters in an attempt to arrest a suspected drug dealer identified as Uzairu, popularly known as Kuda.

According to the Katsina State Police Command, the suspect resisted arrest and raised an alarm that attracted suspected gang members, who attacked the officers in a bid to free him. During the ensuing struggle, a firearm was discharged, hitting Uzairu. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was later confirmed dead.

Tension escalated the following day during Uzairu’s funeral procession, as youths allegedly clashed again with security personnel at the graveyard. Two persons were reportedly hit by stray bullets during the confrontation.

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Police authorities confirmed that one of the victims died on arrival at the hospital, while the second is currently receiving treatment.

Amid the violence, the youths allegedly set ablaze a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) outpost and attempted to burn a nearby police outpost before security reinforcements were deployed to the area.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Katsina State Command, DSP Abubakar Aliyu, said the clashes resulted in the death of two civilians, while another injured victim is responding to treatment.

DSP Aliyu explained that during the initial raid, the police team was attacked, an operational vehicle was damaged, and several officers sustained injuries. He added that one policeman was stabbed with a knife while suspects attempted to disarm him.

“During the struggle to secure the rifle, a shot was released, hitting and injuring the suspect, who later died in the hospital,” he said.

He further disclosed that on December 28, suspected miscreants hijacked the funeral procession, attacked security personnel, burned the NSCDC outpost, inflicted a deep machete wound on a policeman, and damaged a police patrol vehicle.

The police spokesperson said calm has been restored following the deployment of additional police and NSCDC personnel to the area.

DSP Aliyu added that the Commissioner of Police has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident and appealed to residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies.

Three Killed, NSCDC Outpost Burnt in Katsina Youths–Police Clash

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Two Killed, 16 Injured in Fuel Tanker Crash at Polo Roundabout in Jos

Published

15 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Trends Admin

Two Killed, 16 Injured in Fuel Tanker Crash at Polo Roundabout in Jos

At least two persons were killed and 16 others injured following a fuel tanker crash in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Sunday evening.

The accident occurred near the Polo Field Club Roundabout, close to St. Louis College, when a laden fuel tanker reportedly lost its brakes shortly after the Plateau State Specialist Hospital Roundabout and rammed into several vehicles.

Confirming the incident on Monday, the Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Peter Longsan, said emergency responders swiftly arrived at the scene to prevent further casualties.

According to Longsan, 18 persons were involved in the crash. Two male adults died on the spot, while 16 injured victims were rushed to the Plateau State Specialist Hospital and Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH) for medical treatment. The corpses of the deceased were deposited at BUTH.

He explained that the accident was reported to the FRSC at about 6:49pm on December 28, 2025, prompting immediate rescue operations by the FRSC in collaboration with other security and emergency agencies.

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To avert a possible fire outbreak, the area was cordoned off and traffic diverted, while security agencies prevented looting. Fortunately, Longsan said there was no spillage of petroleum products, significantly reducing the risk of explosion.

Agencies involved in the operation included the FRSC, Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, Federal Fire Service, NSCDC, Operation Rainbow, Nigerian Red Cross Society, Vehicle Inspection Officers, and the Vigilante Group of Nigeria.

Following the rescue operation, the petroleum product was safely transloaded, damaged vehicles were removed, and the road was fully cleared, restoring traffic flow by Monday morning.

Commending the coordinated response, FRSC Plateau Sector Commander, Olajide E. Mogaji, praised stakeholders and community members for their cooperation and reiterated that road safety is a shared responsibility.

He urged motorists to drive cautiously, especially during the festive season, and advised the public to report emergencies using the FRSC emergency number 122.