The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen regarding the misuse of Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds, stating that those found guilty will face jail time.
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This was disclosed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), during the 17th-anniversary annual lecture of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) in Abuja yesterday.
Fagbemi emphasized that LGA chairmen do not have immunity and will be held accountable if they tamper with funds intended for local development.
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“We have a situation on our hands,” he said. “The conduct of elections is to be undertaken by the states. But the distinction is this: the governors have immunity, the local government council chairmen or councillors do not. They have to choose between misusing local government funds and risking jail or using the funds properly for development.”
He stressed that proper use of these funds for local projects like road construction and upgrades is crucial for reducing insecurity.
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“If they stay at the local government, we will be able to reduce the level of insecurity in Nigeria. Security agents perform optimally with information from the grassroots,” Fagbemi added.
The minister highlighted the federal government’s decision to seek local government autonomy through the Supreme Court, due to challenges at the state assembly level.
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He noted that local government administration has been hampered for over two decades by state governments not remitting funds meant for local governments.
Fagbemi also urged security agents to adhere to constitutional limits on detention, warning that detention without a court order would no longer be tolerated and those responsible would face sanctions.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, echoed the call for reduced government expenditure and blamed corruption for the country’s insecurity and high unemployment rates.
He warned that these issues are driving impending protests across Nigeria.
