Financial Storm: Rivers Govt Reveals ₦302 Billion Spent During Ibas Era

The Rivers State Government has revealed that over ₦302 billion was expended during the period when Ibok-Ete Ibas served as the state’s sole administrator.

The disclosure was made by the Rivers State Accountant-General alongside the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning during proceedings at the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt. The information was presented in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project.

The case, marked PHC/4153/CS/2025 and presided over by Justice S.H. Aprioku, is ongoing. According to a counter-affidavit dated March 10, 2026, the state received over ₦253.48 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee between March and August 2025. When combined with other revenues, total inflows for the period amounted to about ₦298.35 billion.

Supporting documents submitted to the court include bank statements and capital expenditure records, spanning 49 pages and marked as exhibits.

The affidavit also stated that although ₦28 billion was approved for the installation of CCTV cameras at the Government House, no funds were ultimately used for the project, and no documentation of such expenditure exists.

The government further maintained that it is not opposing SERAP’s request for access to information under the Freedom of Information Act, adding that it has already provided the requested documents and substantially complied with the demand.

SERAP, however, says it is still reviewing the submitted records. The group’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, noted that the documents detail how more than ₦302 billion was spent between March and August 2025, and that the organisation is currently analyzing the figures project by project to determine whether the request has been fully satisfied.

According to the records, ₦112.41 billion went toward salaries, pensions, and overhead costs, while ₦163.44 billion was allocated to ministries, departments, and agencies. Over ₦106 billion of this was reportedly spent in August 2025 alone.

Additional expenditures include ₦26.01 billion for loan servicing and ₦491.59 million in bank charges. More than ₦2.5 billion was allocated for Government House quarters, with about ₦1.1 billion actually spent, while ₦2.67 billion was earmarked for office repairs, with ₦404 million expended.

Other allocations include ₦350 million for canteen and kitchen equipment and over ₦463 million for rehabilitation projects. One project initially budgeted at ₦800 million was later revised to ₦1.56 billion. The records also show a closing balance of ₦19.93 billion as of August 2025.

SERAP is asking the court to determine whether it is entitled to the requested information under the Constitution and the FOI Act. The case, filed on October 31, 2025, has been adjourned to May 19, 2026, for further hearing.

The developments come after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, following political tensions, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the state assembly members. He later appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas as sole administrator.

The emergency rule ended on September 17, 2025, after which Governor Fubara was directed to resume office. Lawmakers later moved to probe the state’s finances during the period, a move that was rejected by Ibas.