2025 Budget: NEFGAD Writes President Tinubu, BPP over N6.9 Trillion Projects Without Needs Assessment, Plans Legal Action

By: Michael Mike

The Network for the Actualization of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD), a leading public procurement advocacy group in Nigeria has alleged the insertion of over 11,000 projects without credible needs assessment and fall outside the statutory mandates, valued at N6.9 trillion into the 2025 Appropriation Act by the National Assembly

The organisation in a letter to President Bola Tinubu and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) expressed serious concern over the insertion of over 11,000 projects valued at N6.9 trillion into the 2025 Appropriation Act by the National Assembly, many of which lack a credible needs assessment and fall outside the statutory mandates of the implementing agencies/ procuring entities.

According to the letter, the revelation, originally highlighted by BudgIT, a civic tech organisation promoting transparency in public finance, exposes a worrying trend of budgetary insertions that bypass due process, violate existing procurement laws, and distort national development priorities.

In the letter signed by its country head of office, Mr Akingunola Omoniyi, NEFGAD referenced Section 18 (a–g) of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007, which mandates all procuring entities to conduct needs assessments and cost evaluations as the most fundamental aspect of public procurement planning by any entity.

The letter read: “Implementing projects without such critical element contravenes the law and undermines principles of fiscal prudence, accountability, and strategic planning’’.

NEFGAD further argued that executing projects outside the establishment mandates of MDAs has equally become a recurring problem that fuels duplication, weakens institutional clarity, and leads to policy incoherence.

The organisation warned that any budgetary allocation or procurement line item not backed by legally required planning frameworks or outside an agency’s constitutional mandate is not only procedurally defective but also a potential drain-pipe for public funds.

The group also pointed out the inherent contradiction of the National Assembly undermining the very law it enacted by inserting constituency projects without following due process or involving the procurement planning committees of the relevant MDAs, as prescribed under Section 20 (1) of the Act.

In light of the above, NEFGAD called on President Tinubu and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to direct all MDAs to immediately desist from implementing any project that falls outside their statutory mandate, or that was inserted into the national budget without mandatory needs assessment.

NEFGAD reaffirmed its commitment to good governance and fiscal responsibility, and warned that it is prepared to initiate legal action to challenge the implementation of any project that contravenes the Public Procurement Act or the constitutional mandates of implementing agencies.

“Public funds must be spent based on real needs—not political convenience. We stand ready to partner with the Tinubu administration to ensure transparency and integrity in Nigeria’s budget implementation,” the statement insisted.

2025 Budget: NEFGAD Writes President Tinubu, BPP over N6.9 Trillion Projects Without Needs Assessment, Plans Legal Action

NSCDC personnel brutally attack police inspector in Gombe, inflicting severe injuries

By: Zagazola Makama

Police in Gombe State have launched a manhunt for two NSCDC personnel involved in a conspiracy and attack on a police inspector.

Zagazola Makama was informed from a reliable sources that on June 15, 2025, at about 2000 hours, Umar Ahmadu, Al’azeez, and Abdulrasheed all members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to Dukku Road Office in Gombe allegedly attacked Inspector Mohammed Jungudo with a jackknife, inflicting severe injuries in various parts of his body.

The injured Inspector Jungudo is currently receiving treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, while the suspects remain at large.

Police sources say efforts are underway to arrest the suspects.

NSCDC personnel brutally attack police inspector in Gombe, inflicting severe injuries

FACK-CHECK: video of bandits with troops in Katsina misinterpreted

By: Zagazola Makama

A video currently making the rounds on social media, depicting suspected bandits alongside Nigerian troops in Katsina State, has been misinterpreted by many as a sign of collusion or conspiracy.

Zagazola Makama reported that the incident was, in fact, a manifestation of ongoing non-kinetic operations aimed at restoring peace and stability in the North West region.

The individuals shown in the video were not in league with the soldiers, but were instead suspects who voluntarily chose to surrender their arms in exchange for amnesty and reintegration into their communities.

This was the third instance in two months where armed groups had surrendered their weapons and pledged to abandon their crimes, following appeals by community stakeholders and security agencies.

At about 15:00 hours on June 14, 2025, several kingpins of armed gangs in Dan Musa Local Government Area including Kamulu Buzaru, Manore, Nagwaggo, Lalbi, Alhaji Sani, Dogo Baidu, Dogo Nahalle, and Abdulkadir Black voluntarily handed over their weapons to a delegation made up of community stakeholders and representatives from various security formations.

The weapons surrendered, Zagazola Makama said, included a PKMG, two AK47 rifles, a G3 rifle and a pump-action gun. In addition, 16 kidnapping victims, seven women and nine children, were safely released by the suspects, with a promise to release all remaining captives by the following day.

He stressed that the surrendered suspects were currently in custody, while the victims had been handed over to the relevant local government authorities. Security operations remain ongoing in the area to consolidate peace and stability.

The general public should investigate and avoid spreading misinformation. The incident was a significant step toward securing peace in Katsina State and strengthening community safety.

FACK-CHECK: video of bandits with troops in Katsina misinterpreted