Abuja — Nigeria’s House of Representatives has uncovered massive financial irregularities involving the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), following revelations in an audit report submitted by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.

The audit report, reviewed by the House Public Accounts Committee (PAC), indicted the councils over alleged infractions totaling more than N100 billion, raising fresh concerns about transparency and accountability in local government administration within the nation’s capital.

The affected councils are Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.

FCT area councils audit report: Unremitted Funds, Poor Record Keeping

According to the audit covering the financial year ended December 31, 2021, the councils failed to remit statutory deductions, including pension contributions, Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) taxes, Value Added Tax (VAT) and withholding taxes.

The report also cited unpaid contractor obligations, poor documentation of expenditures and weak internal financial controls across the councils.

Collectively, the councils recorded outstanding liabilities of about N7.65 billion, with AMAC topping the list at over N2.1 billion, followed by Bwari, Kwali, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Abaji.

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Assets Not Properly Accounted For

Beyond unremitted funds, the audit flagged serious lapses in asset management. Several councils failed to maintain updated Fixed Asset Registers, making it difficult to track government-owned properties.

In one instance, assets valued at over N300 million were reportedly not properly documented, increasing the risk of loss or misuse of public resources.

Reps Summon Council Officials

Reacting to the findings, the House Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Rep. Bamidele Salam, summoned the chairmen and key finance officers of the six councils to appear before it.

The committee warned that failure to honour the summons would attract sanctions, including possible arrest, as empowered by the Constitution.

Rep. Salam stressed that the committee would ensure that all public funds are accounted for, adding that officials found culpable would face appropriate consequences.

Demand for Accountability

The development comes amid growing national concerns over fiscal discipline at the local government level, especially as councils continue to receive substantial allocations from the Federation Account.

The House of Representatives reiterated its commitment to strengthening oversight and restoring public confidence in the management of government funds.