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Auditor-General uncovers multi-billion naira ‘fraud’ in N/Assembly

Published

5 years ago

December 17, 2021

Auditor-General for the Federation, Anthony Ayine

The office of the Auditor- General for the Federation (AuGF) in its 2019 Annual Audit Report has indicted the management of the National Assembly over how it spent funds running into billions of naira.

The AGF, Aghughu Adolphus, in the audit queries uncovered how over N8.5 billion from the funds released to the National Assembly were expended within the period under review without evidence.

The report, submitted to the Clerk to the National Assembly in August this year as required by the constitution, said the monies under scrutiny were not backed by vouchers and retirement documents.

The audit report uncovered various infractions by the House of Representatives, the Senate and the National Assembly Service Commission. The audit report is usually submitted to the National Assembly Public Accounts committees for investigation.

Daily Trust reports that for over a year, the Senate Public Accounts Committee has been investigating expenditures of federal government agencies from 2015 – 2018 based on a report by the Auditor- General for the Federation.

In June this year, the panel presented the report of its six months investigation on the Federation Account for the year 2015 to the plenary.

The committee’s Chairman, Senator Matthew Urhoghide (PDP, Edo), in his presentation, disclosed that 114 MDAs were queried in the 2015 audit report, out of which 59 had their queries sustained after the probe.

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In the course of the investigation, Urhoghide said his panel observed across board, the incessant violation of extant rules by MDAs.

On several occasions, Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Senator Urhoghide had threatened erring MDAs with zero budgetary allocation.

However, the panel did not make public its findings on the audit queries raised against the spending of the National Assembly management, which manages the finances of the federal parliament.

Issues in Senate

The Auditor General’s report raised seven queries against the Senate’s financial records on issues bordering on unaudited payment vouchers, non-remittance of Value-Added Tax (VAT) and withholding tax (WHT) and non-remittance of recovered vehicle loans, among others.

The alleged financial infraction, according to the report, amounted to over three billion naira.

It said the sum of N219.6 million and N123.3 million as housing and vehicle loans, respectively, were deducted from senators’ salary arrears between July and December 2019.

In another query, the audit report said N176.2 million was deducted as Pay As You Earn (PAYE) from staff salaries; Value Added Tax (VAT) of N39.7 million from payment for services and withholding Tax (WHT) of N237.6 million from payment for services.

It, however, said there was no evidence to show that these amounts were remitted to the treasury and relevant tax authorities as required by law.

The report also said the sum of N1.7 billion was paid between February and December 2019 for the supply of vehicles and other office equipment through 17 payment vouchers but none of them was made available for audit examination.

According to the report, the sum of N657.7 million was paid for the supply of motor vehicles, motorcycles and other office equipment through 16 payment vouchers between July and December 2019.

None of the payment vouchers, it said, was cleared by the Internal Audit before pay as required by extant regulations.

The sum of N423 million was paid for the supply of utility vehicles and production of the National Assembly logo between August and November 2019 from the capital account, the audit report showed.

It added that no relevant supporting documents were attached to the payment vouchers to facilitate the validation of the payment.

Similarly, the audit report queried the National Assembly Service Commission on issues related to unretired cash advances and non-remittance of 1% stamp duty on contracts, to the tune of N33.6 million.

It said the sum of N31.9 million was granted as personal cash advances to fifty-nine (59) staff and that there was no evidence of the retirement of the advances.

It also observed that N276.7 million from 12 payments vouchers was made to contractors and service providers from the project account of the Commission. It, however, said N2.7 million representing 1% Stamp Duties was not deducted.

House of Reps

In the report relating to the House of Representatives, the Auditor-General uncovered how members spent over N5.5 billion at a different point in time but could not be accounted for.

According to the report, the expenditures ranged from running costs of some lawmakers to repairs and maintenance.

The report equally revealed that payments were made from salary accounts of the House of Representatives without payment vouchers as required by law.

The Auditor-General issued five queries to the Clerk to the National Assembly on infractions bordering on the utilisation of funds running into billions of naira.

In issue 1, the audit report observed the sum of N2,550,000,000 was granted to members as running costs between July and December 2019, but that there was no evidence to show what the funds were used for as there were no retirement documents despite requests.

According to the report, the said payments were made on a regional basis thus; North East – N187 million, South South – N272 million and South East – N442 million.

Others are North Central – N391 million, South West – N629 million and North West – N629 million.

“There was no evidence to show what the funds were used for and there were no retirement documents despite requests.

“The above anomalies could be attributed to weaknesses in the internal control system at the Federal House of Representatives of the National Assembly,” the report read.

The audit report directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to give reasons why running costs granted to members were not retired.

In the second issue, the report queried the Clerk over non-retirement of N258 million, which was granted as advances to 59 staff in the lower chamber of the National Assembly.

It also said that additional advances were granted to officers when they had not retired the previous ones.

The Auditor-General in the third issue queried cash advances amounting to N107.9 million granted for repairs and maintenance of unspecified quarters beyond the statutory limit.

It queried the granting of advances in excesses of N200,000 stipulated by extant laws and directed the Clerk to justify the action.

The report in its issue 4, queried the remittance of N1.5 billion without acknowledgement as required by extant laws.

According to the report, the sum of N1.5 was paid to revenue authorities between February and December 2019.

The report said the payment included “Pay As You Earn (PAYE) from six members, car loan recovery from five members, and housing loan recovered from six members.

The audit report also revealed that another N1.01 billion was discovered to have been paid from a salary account. The payments were made without the preparation of payment vouchers as required by extant regulations.

According to the report, this violates Paragraph 601 of the Financial Regulations, which says “All payment entries in the cash book/ account shall be vouched for on one of the prescribed treasury forms.

N/Assembly reacts

Reacting, spokesman of the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Austen Adesoro, who spoke to our reporter on telephone about the allegations, said the report was 2019 findings and that most of the issues have been taken care of.

Speaking on the matter, the Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Coordinator, Transparency International (TI) in Nigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, told Daily Trust that the development was unfortunate.

“It is unfortunate that the federal government, which claims to be fighting corruption its major governmental institutions are not complying with the laws of the federation to fighting corruption.

“The sad aspect of it is that the lawmakers that are supposed to be ensuring that the laws, regulations and policies of the government are adhered to are the ones not complying with the laws that they formulate for the nation.”

He said that there was no way the government could fight corruption when its major institutions appeared not to be in tandem with what they were doing to other agencies.

Daily Trust

Related Topics:Auditor-General Featured fraud N/Assembly

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Two Arrested for Smoking on Air Peace Flight from South Africa – Police

Published

9 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Trends Admin

Two Arrested for Smoking on Air Peace Flight from South Africa – Police

The Lagos Airport Police Command has concluded plans to arraign two passengers accused of smoking and engaging in unruly conduct onboard an Air Peace flight from South Africa to Lagos, an incident that allegedly triggered the aircraft’s emergency smoke alarm and caused panic among passengers and crew. The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by its spokesperson, ASP Mohammed Adeola, identifying the suspects as 51-year-old Enaruna Prince Aghama and 43-year-old Tony Ajayi. According to the police, Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel handed the two men over to officers at the International Airport Police Division after the aircraft landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, for investigation, setting the stage for what could be a landmark prosecution of aviation safety violations in Nigeria.

Preliminary findings indicated that the incident occurred at about 7:44 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, 2026, while the aircraft was en route to Lagos. “Preliminary investigation revealed that at about 1944hrs on 9th July, 2026, while aboard an Air Peace flight from South Africa to Lagos, the suspects lit and smoked cigarettes inside the aircraft, an action which activated the aircraft’s smoke detection and emergency alarm system, causing panic and anxiety among passengers and cabin crew,” the statement read. The activation of the smoke alarm forced the crew to investigate and take action to ensure the safety of all onboard, creating a tense atmosphere as passengers became aware of the potential threat.

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Police further stated that investigators found the suspects were in possession of an alcoholic beverage and allegedly refused to cooperate with cabin crew members who attempted to enforce safety regulations. The statement added that the pair “became uncooperative and verbally aggressive when cabin crew members attempted to de-escalate the situation and enforce established safety regulations, thereby further disrupting the orderly conduct of the flight”. The suspects’ refusal to comply with crew instructions reportedly escalated the situation, requiring additional intervention from the flight crew to prevent further disruption.

The suspects were reportedly part of a group of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa amid ongoing tensions over xenophobic attacks. Their conduct, however, has drawn sharp condemnation from aviation authorities, who have made it clear that such behavior will not be tolerated regardless of the circumstances. Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, condemned the alleged actions of the passengers, describing them as a threat to aviation safety. “Any act capable of compromising aviation safety or disrupting the orderly operation of an aircraft is unacceptable,” she said, underscoring the seriousness with which authorities view such violations.

Olufunke added that the command “remains committed to the strict enforcement of aviation security laws and the protection of the lives of passengers, crew members, and all airport users”. She also appealed to air travellers to comply with lawful instructions issued by airline operators and aviation officials, stressing that “maintaining discipline and orderly conduct aboard aircraft is a shared responsibility essential to safe air travel”. The police said the suspects would be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigation, with authorities signaling that a strong message would be sent to deter others from similar conduct in the future.

Two Arrested for Smoking on Air Peace Flight from South Africa – Police

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“I Just Learned I Filed for Divorce” – Nnamdi Kanu’s Wife Breaks Silence

Published

9 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Trends Admin

“I Just Learned I Filed for Divorce” – Nnamdi Kanu’s Wife Breaks Silence

Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, wife of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has refuted reports alleging that she has initiated divorce proceedings against her husband, describing the claims as “entirely false” and “misinformation”. In a statement shared on her verified X account on Friday, Okwu-Kanu said she was compelled to respond following the circulation of what she described as false online reports claiming that she had filed for divorce. She wrote: “For the avoidance of doubt, I have not filed for divorce. The publication is entirely false and should be treated as misinformation”. Reacting to the rumours with a mixture of humour and dismissal, she posted on X: “Good conscious evening, my blessed Biafrans. I have just learned that I filed for Divorce while my husband is in prison”. The post, which included laughing emojis, appeared to mock the online reports that had claimed she filed for divorce following years of alleged infidelity, financial neglect, and family interference.

Okwu-Kanu lamented the spread of unverified stories about her family, saying it was disturbing that some individuals continued to circulate fabricated information without confirming the facts. According to her, such actions “undermine responsible journalism”. She also appealed to members of the public to obtain information concerning her only from her or through her authorised representatives, and expressed appreciation to those who reached out to verify the reports before sharing them. Her response has been widely shared across social media platforms, with many of her followers commending her for addressing the rumours directly and with dignity.

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Nnamdi Kanu and Uchechi Okwu-Kanu were married in 2009. The IPOB leader is currently serving a life sentence at the Sokoto Custodial Centre after being convicted on terrorism-related charges by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja in November 2025. The court found him guilty on all seven counts, sentencing him to life imprisonment on five counts, 20 years on one count and five years on another, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently. The conviction has attracted widespread attention both within Nigeria and internationally, with human rights groups and political figures expressing concerns about the trial and the conditions of his detention.

Kanu has since challenged the judgment, filing a notice of appeal before the Court of Appeal on February 4, 2026, seeking to overturn both his conviction and sentence. The appeal, which contains 22 grounds, alleges fundamental legal errors and a miscarriage of justice. Among the grounds, Kanu contends that the trial court delivered judgment while a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the charge and his bail application remained pending, and that he was convicted under a law that had been repealed. The appeal process is ongoing, and legal observers are closely watching to see whether the appellate court will grant Kanu’s request for a new trial or uphold the lower court’s decision.

“I Just Learned I Filed for Divorce” – Nnamdi Kanu’s Wife Breaks Silence

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NIS Releases Step-by-Step Guide for Contactless Passport Renewal Abroad

Published

10 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Trends Admin

NIS Releases Step-by-Step Guide for Contactless Passport Renewal Abroad

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has released an updated step-by-step guide to help Nigerians living abroad renew their passports through its Contactless Passport Application System, eliminating the need to visit an embassy or high commission for biometric enrolment. The Service announced the update on its official X account, encouraging eligible Nigerians in the diaspora to take advantage of the digital platform, which simplifies passport renewal and reduces administrative barriers. The initiative is part of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to digitise passport services, reduce processing delays, and improve access for Nigerians in the diaspora. Since its launch, the Contactless Biometric Passport Application System has successfully processed and issued over 15,000 passports to Nigerians abroad.

Application Process

According to the NIS, applicants are required to follow the steps below:

Visit the official NIS Passport Application portal
Click “Continue” from the pop-up window
Select “Apply for Renewal/Re-issue”
Create an account and verify identity using National Identification Number (NIN) and date of birth
Complete the application form and choose the preferred Nigerian embassy or high commission for processing
Upload all required supporting documents
Pay the passport booklet fee
Obtain the Application ID and Reference Number
Select the “Contactless” option under the “Application Status/Book Appointment” section
Review the instructions and click “I Understand and Opt In”
Download the NIS Mobile App from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store
Sign in or create a profile on the app
Select “Passport Application Services” , then “Passport Biometrics Enrolment”
Enter the Application ID and Reference Number to check eligibility
If eligible, proceed with facial image capture, fingerprint enrolment, and liveness verification
Pay the contactless enrolment fee and submit biometric data electronically

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Eligibility and Exceptions

The contactless option is not available to all applicants. The NIS clarified that applicants who are declared ineligible during verification will be required to return to the application portal and schedule a physical appointment at their chosen embassy or high commission. According to the Service, an “INELIGIBLE” response means the applicant must complete the remaining process in person at the designated diplomatic mission. Those eligible for contactless renewal include Nigerians between 18 and 60 years, applicants with not more than six months to the expiration of their current passports, and those applying for re-issuance of existing passports.

Supporting Documents Still Required

Applicants who successfully complete remote biometric enrolment must still send the required documents to their selected processing mission. These include the printed application form, passport booklet payment receipt, biometric enrolment payment receipt, current passport, and a self-addressed return envelope.

Application Tracking

The NIS added that applicants can begin tracking their passport applications two weeks after submission through the online tracking platform at https://track.immigration.gov.ng or via the NIS Mobile App.

Technical Support

The NIS has acknowledged recent technical challenges encountered by some Nigerians in the diaspora while using the Contactless Biometric Passport Application System, assuring the public that its technical team is actively working to resolve these issues. Applicants who do not receive their payment One-Time Password (OTP) are advised to check their spam folders. For further assistance, applicants can reach the NIS Support Team through the following channels:

In-App Chat: Select “Support” → “Chat with Us”
Email: support@immigration.gov.ng
X (Twitter): @nigimmigration
Instagram: @nigimmigration, @nis_response
Facebook: @nigimmigration, @nis-response
Contact Center Numbers: 09121900655, 09121556359, 09121477092 (Mondays to Fridays, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.)