Reps Inaugurate Panel To Probe N1.3bn Budget Allocation To “Fake Agency”

The House of Representatives has inaugurated a 12-member ad hoc committee to investigate the alleged allocation of N1.3 billion to what lawmakers described as an illegal government agency in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

Speaking at the inauguration, Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, said the investigation was not politically motivated but aimed at establishing the facts surrounding the allocation.

Represented by the House Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, the Speaker said the National Assembly has both the authority and the responsibility to conduct the probe in an open, fair and transparent manner.

“The National Assembly has both the authority and the obligation to seek answers in an open, fair and transparent manner,” he said.

Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, assured Nigerians that the panel would carry out a thorough and impartial investigation.

He, however, expressed concern over the absence of some key government officials whose presence the committee considers crucial to the inquiry.

The committee is expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council and the process through which it was included in the 2026 budget.