The Rivers State Government has told the State High Court in Port Harcourt that more than ₦302 billion was spent during the period of emergency administration under former sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), between March and August 2025.
The disclosure came from the state’s Accountant-General and the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in response to a Freedom of Information suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
According to court documents, Rivers State received about ₦253.48 billion from FAAC allocations within that period, while total inflows, including other revenues, stood at roughly ₦298.35 billion.
The government also submitted supporting documents, including bank statements and expenditure records, running into dozens of pages.
One notable detail in the filing showed that ₦28 billion was approved for the installation of CCTV at the Government House, but no money was eventually spent on the project.
Officials stated that the government did not oppose SERAP’s request for information and had complied by releasing the requested documents in line with the Freedom of Information Act.
SERAP, however, said it is still reviewing the records to determine whether full compliance has been achieved or if further legal steps will be taken.
Preliminary findings from the documents reveal multiple large transactions, including payments ranging from millions to billions of naira, with one transfer of ₦4.27 billion recorded in August 2025.
The records also show that ₦112.41 billion was spent on salaries, pensions, and overheads, while ₦163.44 billion was allocated to ministries, departments, and agencies—more than ₦106 billion of which was disbursed in August alone.
Additionally, about ₦26.01 billion went into loan servicing, while bank charges amounted to roughly ₦491.59 million.
Other expenditures included over ₦2.5 billion for Government House quarters, about ₦404 million for office building repairs, and more than ₦463 million for rehabilitation projects. A project initially budgeted at ₦800 million was later increased to ₦1.56 billion.
By the end of August 2025, the state reportedly had a closing balance of ₦19.93 billion.
The court case, which seeks to determine whether SERAP is entitled to access the full financial records, has been adjourned to May 19, 2026, for further hearing.
The financial review follows the political crisis that led to the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State in March 2025. During that period, the elected governor and state assembly were suspended, and a sole administrator was appointed to manage the affairs of the state until normal governance was restored later in the year.
