Borno Denies Spending ₦4bn On Non-Existent Rail Project
By Bukar BOLORI
The Borno State Government has denied reports that it spent ₦4 billion on rail construction projects in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere Local Government Area, insisting that no such project was awarded, funded or executed in the state during the 2025 fiscal year.
The government described the reports as misleading and clarified that the inclusion of a rail project in the 2025 Budget Implementation Report, with an indication that it was 100 per cent completed, was merely an administrative error.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, the government said an internal review involving the Ministries of Budget and Transport and Energy, alongside other relevant agencies, confirmed that no rail project passed through the state’s official procurement process.
According to the statement, no Executive Council approval was sought or obtained for any rail project, no budgetary clearance was requested, no contract was awarded and no funds were released for such a project during the period under review.
The government stressed that projects of such magnitude are subject to laid-down procedures, including formal proposals, Executive Council approvals, budgetary clearances, contract awards and subsequent release of funds.
It maintained that none of these processes were initiated or concluded in relation to any rail line project in the 2025 fiscal year.
“It was however noted that the inclusion of a rail project entry in the 2025 Budget Implementation Report, indicating 100 per cent completion, was an administrative error and does not reflect the true position of the matter as the said project was neither executed nor paid for,” the statement said.
The government disclosed that relevant stakeholders had already been engaged to correct the records and put in place measures to prevent a recurrence of such an administrative lapse.
Reaffirming its commitment to transparency, due process and accountability in public finance management, the government also commended citizens, civil society organisations and other stakeholders for their vigilance in promoting good governance and public accountability.
The clarification followed public scrutiny over entries in the state’s budget implementation documents, which suggested that ₦4 billion had been expended on rail projects despite the absence of any visible rail infrastructure in the affected areas.
