Rivers Govt Discloses N302bn Spent During Ibas’ Tenure as Sole Administrator

According to the Rivers State Government, about ₦302 billion was spent while Ibok-Ete Ibas was the state’s only administrator.

The Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and the Rivers State Accountant-General made the disclosure in front of the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt.

The data was supplied in response to the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project’s Freedom of Information complaint.

Justice S.H. Aprioku of the Rivers State High Court is currently hearing the lawsuit, which has the case number PHC/4153/CS/2025.

The Federation Account Allocation Committee gave the state more than ₦253.48 billion between March and August 2025, according to a counter-affidavit dated March 10, 2026.

According to the affidavit, the entire amount of money received during that time, including other revenues, was approximately N298.35 billion.

Bank statements and records of capital expenditures from the Government House estimate were submitted as supporting documentation.

The 49-page documents are designated Exhibit DTI and Exhibit DT2.

The affidavit further disclosed that no money was ultimately spent on the project, despite N28 billion being approved for the installation of closed-circuit television cameras at Government House.

According to the affidavit, “Our records show that ₦28 billion was approved for the installation of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) at the State House, but no expenditure was incurred in respect of the project.”

“Therefore, it is not possible to provide a document proving such expenditure.”

Additionally, according to the state administration, SERAP’s right to obtain information under the Freedom of Information Act is uncontested.

According to the affidavit, “The Defendants/Respondents do not contest SERAP’s right to access information under the Freedom of Information Act and has no intention whatsoever of withholding the requested documents.”

“In compliance with the Freedom of material Act’s provisions, the defendants/respondents have now assembled and made available the requested material.

“The Defendants/Respondents have substantially complied with SERAP’s demand by providing the requested documents.”

According to SERAP, the Rivers State Government’s documents are presently being examined.

According to the organization’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the statistics showed that over N302 billion was spent during that time.

“We are examining the extensive records regarding the expenditure of the more than ₦302 billion in FAAC allocations and other funds by the Rivers State government between March and August 2025,” stated Oluwadare.

“Our teams are analyzing the spending project-by-project, and we will determine whether our information requests have been fully complied with or whether a new information request or modification to our originating processes is required.”

Records reveal that N112.41 billion was spent on overhead, pensions, and salaries, according to SERAP.

Ministries, departments, and organizations received an additional ₦163.44 billion, with around ₦106 billion purportedly disbursed in August 2025 alone.

Additionally, the documents revealed that ₦491.59 million was spent on bank fees and ₦26.01 billion was utilized to service loans.

Furthermore, although around ₦1.1 billion was documented as real expenditure, more than ₦2.5 billion was released for the construction of Government House quarters.

Additionally, a revised ₦2.67 billion was allocated for office building repairs, with around ₦404 million spent on the project, according to the data.

Over ₦463 million was spent on restoration projects, while an additional ₦350 million was set aside for kitchen and canteen equipment.

The documents state that a project’s initial budget of ₦800 million was later raised to ₦1.56 billion.

According to the data, the account’s closing balance as of August 2025 was ₦19.93 billion.

SERAP is requesting that the court rule on whether the Freedom of Information Act and the Constitution grant it the requested information.

The Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and the Rivers State Accountant-General were sued by the organization on October 31, 2025.

The case was postponed by Justice Aprioku until May 19, 2026.

After a protracted political turmoil, President Bola Tinubu proclaimed a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025.

Additionally, the president imposed a six-month first suspension on Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and every member of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired navy chief, was subsequently named by Tinubu as the state’s only administrator.

Fubara was instructed to return to work the day after the emergency rule ended on September 17, 2025.

Legislators decided to look into how the state’s finances were handled during the emergency rule after the state legislature met again.

Ibas, however, disapproved with the Rivers Assembly’s resolution.