National
No Federal Allocations for States Lacking Credible Local Government Elections – SERAP
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend monthly federal allocations to states that do not conduct credible local government elections.
In a letter dated October 5, 2024, and signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP specifically requested that President Tinubu instruct the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun, to immediately withhold federal allocations from any state that has failed or refused to hold local council polls.
The organization also urged the Finance Minister to ensure that any allocations from the Federation Account are disbursed solely to democratically elected local government councils, excluding all other entities.
SERAP further requested the Minister to provide a detailed account of local government councils that have directly received federal allocations, confirming whether these councils were democratically elected, as stipulated by the amended Nigerian Constitution of 1999 and mandated by the Supreme Court’s ruling on July 11, 2024.
Additionally, SERAP urged President Tinubu to promptly enlist the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to collaboratively monitor the expenditure of FAAC allocations by democratically elected local government councils nationwide.
The organization emphasized that “Your government has the responsibility to uphold the Nigerian Constitution and prevent public wrongs committed by state governors.”
SERAP asserted that “A democratically elected local government council should not exist at the discretion or whims of governors or their political benefactors.”
According to SERAP, “Your administration also has a constitutional duty to ensure accountability in the utilization of federal allocations and to comply immediately with the Supreme Court’s judgment and the principles of the rule of law.”
The letter noted, “Local government councils are entitled to direct payments from the Federation Account to foster good governance, enhance citizens’ welfare, and promote development in local government areas across the country.”
“Where the rule of law prevails, political expediency should be sacrificed to uphold the rule of law, ensuring the continued existence of institutions that promote social values, liberty, and orderly development.”
SERAP expressed gratitude for the implementation of the suggested measures within seven days of receiving or publishing this letter. Should there be no response, SERAP will consider appropriate legal actions to compel compliance with their request in the public interest.
“It is entirely consistent with the rule of law to promptly withhold federal allocations from states that have failed or refused to conduct local government elections and ensure that any allocations from the Federation Account are directed exclusively to democratically elected councils.”
As indicated in SERAP’s information, the Supreme Court of Nigeria recently mandated the Federal Government to directly pay funds from the Federation Account only to democratically elected local government councils and no other organizations.
The court also instructed the 36 state governors to “ensure democratic governance at the local government level.”
The ruling clarified that state governors lack the authority to dissolve democratically elected local government councils and replace them with caretaker committees, accompanied by an order for immediate compliance with the judgment.
SERAP highlighted concerns raised by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who stated that “local government elections in virtually all states have become mere coronations of candidates from the ruling parties. It is time to halt these coronations and conduct proper elections.”
The organization expressed apprehension over the manipulation of local government elections by governors and other actors in several states.
SERAP noted the failure of numerous state governors to organize local government council elections, contrary to Section 7(1) of the Nigerian Constitution.
Furthermore, SERAP raised concerns regarding allegations of corruption and mismanagement involving governors in the handling of federal allocations intended for local government councils. It has been reported that trillions of naira in FAAC allocations received by Nigeria’s 36 states have allegedly been misappropriated.
The resulting human costs pose a direct threat to the rights of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians.
Despite increased allocations from FAAC, millions of residents in various states continue to endure extreme poverty and lack access to essential public goods and services.
The Federal Government’s removal of the petrol subsidy and the floating of the naira have resulted in higher FAAC allocations to states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). However, this increase has not led to any significant improvement in the security and welfare of millions of Nigerians.
SERAP reminded that Section 162(3)(5) of the Nigerian Constitution mandates that funds allocated to local government councils from the Federation Account should be distributed directly to them.
State governors possess no authority to retain, manage, or disburse federal allocations intended for local government councils.
Under the terms of the Supreme Court ruling, the 36 state governors are prohibited from collecting, receiving, spending, or interfering with local government council funds from the Federation Account for their benefit.
SERAP pointed out that Section 165 of the Nigerian Constitution and the Allocation of Revenue Act No.1 of 1982 stipulate that government-generated revenues should be credited to the Federation Account and distributed monthly among the federal government, states, and local governments.
Moreover, former President Muhammadu Buhari, in December 2022, remarked that “If the money from the Federation Account to the State is about N100 million, N50 million will be sent to the chairman, but he will sign for N100 million. The chairman will pocket the remainder and distribute it as he chooses.”
The 36 states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have reportedly received over N40 trillion in federal allocations intended for the 774 local government areas across the country.
In November 2023 alone, the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) distributed N225.21 billion in federal allocations designated for local governments, while in December 2023, states received N258.81 billion intended for local government areas.
National
Talata Mafara Resident Praises Tinubu, Matawalle For Eliminating Bandit Leaders Jijji, Kachallah Sagili
Residents of Talata Mafara Local Government Area in Zamfara State have expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, Minister of State for Defence Dr Bello Matawalle, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, and Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa for their roles in the elimination of two notorious bandit leaders
The operation, which targeted Jajji Ɗan Auta and Kachallah Sagili, has been hailed as a significant step towards restoring peace in the troubled region.
Yakubu Ibrahim Mafara, speaking on behalf of the Talata Mafara community, issued a statement on Friday commending the concerted efforts of the Nigerian government and security forces.
“We are very grateful to Matawalle, Tinubu, NSA, and others,” he said, reflecting the community’s relief and optimism following the operation.
The statement underscored the profound impact of the operation on the local population, which has long endured the terror inflicted by bandit groups in Zamfara State.
The operation took place on Thursday in Maikwanugga, a community within Talata Mafara Local Government Area, where security forces, alongside local vigilante groups, conducted targeted patrols along the Mafara axis.
According to the statement, reports indicate that Jijji Ɗan Auta and Kachallah Sagili, both feared bandit leaders responsible for numerous attacks, kidnappings, and extortion in the region, were neutralised during the operation.
” Their deaths have been described as a turning point for the community, which has suffered years of violence and insecurity.
“The killing of Jijji Ɗan Auta has brought relief and fresh air into our community,” Yakubu said, echoing the sentiments of residents who have lived under the shadow of banditry for years.
The operation is seen as a direct response to the escalating violence in Zamfara, where armed groups have terrorised rural communities, disrupted livelihoods, and displaced thousands.
The community’s gratitude reflects growing confidence in the government’s commitment to tackling insecurity in Nigeria’s northwest.
Meanwhile, the operation was a collaborative effort involving the Nigerian military and local vigilantes, who have increasingly played a critical role in intelligence-gathering and community defence.
The patrols in the Mafara axis were part of a broader strategy to dismantle bandit strongholds and restore normalcy to Zamfara, a state that has become a hotspot for banditry and kidnapping in recent years.
“The elimination of Jijji Ɗan Auta and Kachallah Sagili is expected to weaken the operational capacity of bandit groups in the region.”
The Nigerian military has called for stronger collaboration with relevant agencies to ensure proper documentation of individuals entering the country, citing the role of foreign herders in escalating violence in regions like Plateau and Benue States.
Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations, made the appeal during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
“There are agencies responsible for this, and we need to collaborate effectively,” Kangye said, emphasizing the importance of a joint framework to tackle insecurity.
“Those entering Nigeria must be properly documented and accounted for.”
He said recent attacks by armed herders in Plateau, Benue, and other parts of the country have left dozens dead and displaced thousands, particularly in farming communities.
Kangye revealed that investigations point to foreign herders as the primary perpetrators of these violent attacks, with their distinct speech patterns and physical features setting them apart from local herders.
“The Hausa language spoken in Nigeria differs significantly from that in Mali, the Central African Republic, or Ghana,” he explained.
“When we apprehend these herders and terrorists, their speech and appearance—sometimes even their hair—indicate they are not from Nigeria.”
He noted that the Shuwa Arabs in Borno are the only Nigerian community with some similarities to Sahel-region herders, but even they are distinguishable.
While acknowledging that some Nigerian herders contribute to conflicts by encroaching on farmlands, Kangye stressed that the majority of the violence is driven by foreigners crossing Nigeria’s porous borders.
“The ongoing killings reported in certain areas are primarily committed by individuals who have infiltrated our borders,” he said.
Catholic cardinals have elected Robert Prevost, the first Pope from the United States of America, who has taken the new name Pope Leo XIV after the conclave decided in just four rounds of voting on Thursday.
Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi said it took cardinals only four rounds of voting to pick a new pope and that white smoke coming out of the Sistine Chapel chimney after a day’s voting is “a clear sign of the unity of the Church. ”
The Pontiff, picked even faster than his predecessor, Francis, appeared on the Vatican balcony amid enthusiastic cheers from thousands of faithful who packed St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday to witness the historic event.
“May peace be with all of you,” he said from the Vatican balcony after paying tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, who gave his life to the service of humanity. He stressed that he wants to deliver his blessing to the people as Pope Francis did in his last appearance in St Peter’s Square.
After concluding his speech, the new Pope started reading a religious passage in Latin, paying homage to the saints and the Madonna. The pope continued with a message of peace and noted, “God loves us all, unconditionally”.
“Humanity needs Christ as a bridge to be reached by God and his love. Help us, and help each other, build bridges.
“Without fear, united hand in hand with God, we are the Disciples of Christ, and the world needs his light.
“Brothers and sisters dearest, this is the first greeting of Christ resurrected. I want to offer a greeting of peace to your families, all of you, wherever you are. May peace be with you,” he said.
Chicago-born Prevost, 69, is seen as a reformer who worked for many years as a missionary in Peru before being made an archbishop there.
The cardinals strongly perceived that the new pope would need to carry forward Pope Francis’s legacy of reaching out to those on the margins and bring along with him a wide spectrum of those within the Church, including those with whom Pope Francis was sometimes at loggerheads.
Observers considered Cardinal Robert Prevost a candidate who could fulfil that role—someone who could be a bridge between different worlds.
The fact that the conclave decided in just four rounds of voting suggests that the cardinals agreed with that assessment.
Robert Prevost will be the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter. Although he is the first American to fill the role of Pope, he is considered as much a cardinal from Latin America because of the many years he spent as a missionary in Peru before becoming an archbishop there.
Born in Chicago in 1955 to parents of Ecuadorian and French descent, Prevost served as an altar boy and was ordained as a priest in 1982. Although he moved to Peru three years later, he returned regularly to the US to serve as a pastor and a priest in his home city.
He has Peruvian nationality and is fondly remembered as a figure who worked with marginalised communities and helped build bridges. He spent 10 years as a local parish pastor and teacher at a seminary in Trujillo in northwestern Peru.
He is well known to cardinals because of his high-profile role as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Latin America, which has the critical task of selecting and supervising bishops. Francis made him a cardinal less than two years ago.
As Francis appointed 80% of the cardinals who took part in the conclave, it is unsurprising that someone like Prevost was elected, even if he was only recently appointed.
He will be seen as a figure who favoured the continuity of Francis’ reforms in the Catholic Church. Prevost is believed to have shared Francis’ views on migrants, the poor and the environment.
He will be fully aware of the divisions within the Catholic Church, and his Latin American background also represents continuity after a Pope who came from Argentina.
During his time as archbishop in Peru, he did not escape the sexual abuse scandals that have clouded the Church. However, his diocese fervently denied he had been involved in any attempted cover-up.
Before the conclave, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that during gatherings of the College of Cardinals in the days before the conclave they emphasised the need for a pope with “a prophetic spirit capable of leading a Church that does not close in on itself but knows how to go out and bring light to a world marked by despair”.
Top 10 Things to Know About the New Pope, Robert Francis Prevost
1. First American Pope
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, is the first pope from the United States, born in Chicago, Illinois.
2. Elected as the 267th Pope
He was chosen after a swift two-day conclave, becoming the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
3. Age and New Namel
At 69 years old, he adopted the papal name Leo XIV upon his election.
4. Deep Missionary Experience in Latin America
Prevost spent over a decade in Peru as a bishop and seminary educator, gaining respect for his pastoral leadership and cultural fluency.
5. Leader of the Augustinian Order
He led the Augustinians globally for over ten years, managing an international religious community.
6. Key Vatican Roles
Before becoming pope, he was Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America—two influential positions in Church governance.
7. Academic and Legal Scholar
He holds degrees in mathematics, theology, and canon law, and has taught canon law in Latin America.
8. Calm, Reform-Oriented Leader
Known for his consensus-building style, Pope Leo XIV is seen as a clear-headed reformer continuing the legacy of Pope Francis.
9. Advocate for Women’s Inclusion
He supports meaningful female participation in Church governance, emphasising their real impact within Vatican bodies.
10. Mission-Driven Papacy
Pope Leo XIV remains committed to missionary work, global outreach, and addressing challenging issues like clerical abuse with humility and resolve.