Opposition Demands Independent Probe Into Borno State’s ₦4 Billion “Ghost” Rail Project

Political opposition parties and residents in Borno State have called for an external, transparent investigation into the appearance of a ₦4 billion railway project in the state’s 2025 budget implementation report, which the government now claims was a non-existent project included in error.

The controversy arose following a statement from the Borno State government, where the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, acknowledged that the rail project—previously listed as “100 per cent complete”—was an administrative mistake. According to Tar, an internal review involving the Ministries of Budget, Transport, and Energy confirmed that no such rail project was ever awarded, funded, or executed in the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council or Jere Local Government Area during the 2025 fiscal year.

However, this explanation has failed to satisfy political stakeholders. The Nigeria Democratic Party (NDP) and the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) have urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) to intervene.

“We see it as a lack of accountability and transparency in governance,” said Aliyu Balarabe, Publicity Secretary for the NDP. “There is no way that something as serious as a state budget will have such errors. If it is an error, where are the funds?”

Echoing these concerns, Baba Mustapha, spokesperson for the ADC, described the incident as an unfortunate development that cannot be ignored. He emphasized that the funds in question are public property and that accountability must be enforced, whether now or in the future.

Public skepticism remains high, with many residents questioning the integrity of the state’s overall expenditure reporting. Critics have raised concerns that if a ₦4 billion project can be listed as “completed” by mistake, the validity of the entire budget implementation report is now in question. Residents are demanding a comprehensive re-evaluation of the state’s financial records to determine the true status of the funds involved.