By Obinna Uballa
A Freedom of Information (FoI) request by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has uncovered details of how more than ₦302 billion was spent in Rivers State during the six months of emergency administration between March and August 2025.
The funds were reportedly managed under the leadership of the former Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), during the period.
The spending details were disclosed in documents submitted by the Rivers State Accountant-General and the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt.
The documents were filed in response to a lawsuit instituted by SERAP, which is seeking transparency and accountability over the management of public funds during the six-month emergency rule in the state.
The suit, marked PHC/4153/CS/2025, is currently before Justice S. H. Aprioku of the Rivers State High Court.
In a counter-affidavit dated March 10, 2026, the Accountant-General and the Ministry stated that Rivers State received ₦253.48 billion (₦253,480,052,907.33) from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) between March and August 2025.
Documents attached to the filing – Exhibit DTI (bank statements) and Exhibit DT2 (capital pages of the Government House estimate) – contained details of expenditures exceeding ₦300 billion, covering FAAC allocations and other inflows.
Part of the affidavit stated that ₦28 billion had been approved for the installation of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) at the State House, but clarified that no spending had yet been recorded for the project.
“The defendants/respondents do not contest SERAP’s right to access information under the Freedom of Information Act and have no intention whatsoever of withholding the requested documents,” the affidavit read.
It added that the requested information had been compiled and submitted in line with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, and that providing the documents constituted substantial compliance with SERAP’s request.
Reacting to the disclosures, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said the organisation was studying the documents to determine whether the government had fully complied with its request.
“We are studying the large documents on the spending of the over ₦302.35 billion of FAAC allocations and other funds by the Rivers State government between March and August 2025,” Oluwadare said.
According to SERAP’s preliminary analysis of the exhibits, Rivers State received a total of about ₦298.35 billion during the six-month period, comprising ₦253.48 billion in FAAC allocations and ₦44.87 billion in other receipts.
However, the financial records showed that over ₦302.35 billion was eventually spent within the same period.
The documents revealed several transfers to government entities and individuals, including multiple payments to Government House ranging from ₦1.8 million to ₦4.27 billion.
Other recorded transactions included ₦61.9 million, ₦122 million, ₦170 million, ₦389 million, ₦750 million, ₦850 million and ₦900 million, with the ₦900 million payments occurring repeatedly. A single transfer of ₦4.27 billion was recorded in August 2025.
Further analysis showed that ₦112.41 billion was spent on salaries, pensions and overhead costs, while ₦163.44 billion was allocated to ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
More than ₦106 billion of the MDA allocations was reportedly disbursed in August alone, indicating a heavy concentration of spending within a single month.
The documents also indicated that ₦26.01 billion was used to service loans, while ₦491.59 million was spent on bank charges, bringing the combined total for both items to approximately ₦26.5 billion.
In addition, over ₦2.5 billion was reportedly released for the construction of Government House quarters, although only about ₦1.1 billion appeared in the documents as actual spending.
A revised allocation of ₦2.67 billion was recorded for office building repairs, while roughly ₦404 million had been spent.
The documents also showed ₦350 million allocated for canteen and kitchen equipment, though the exact amount released for the project was not immediately clear.
Meanwhile, more than ₦463 million was reportedly spent on rehabilitation projects, including one project initially budgeted at ₦800 million but later revised upward to ₦1.56 billion.
The records further showed that the closing balance in the government account as of August 2025 stood at ₦19.93 billion.
In its lawsuit, SERAP is asking the court to determine whether, under the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Freedom of Information Act 2011, it is entitled to access the financial information requested from the state authorities.
The case, filed on October 31, 2025, lists the Rivers State Accountant-General and the Rivers State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning as defendants.
The matter has been adjourned to May 19, 2026 for further hearing.
