RipplesMetrics: Examining the number of probes by the National Assembly

In July, members of a vigilante group in Eke, Udi Local Government were allegedly murdered by men of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army. The vigilante group were said to be on their way to respond to a distress call in their community when soldiers allegedly opened fire, killing two persons and inflicting injuries.

This incident made the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee led by its chairman, Sanni Abdulraheem, call for a probe in August to investigate the allegations and bring justice to the people.

However, like several other hundreds of ongoing probes, both by the Senate and the House of Representatives, it has not been concluded, leaving victims in disarray and without closure.

Data showed that no fewer than 50 probes have been announced by the 10th National Assembly between June when it was inaugurated, and October.

RipplesMetircs checks on Probe Monitors, of the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch, show that about 595 probes have been announced between 2006 and 2023 by different arms of government, agencies and parastatals. However, only three of the probes monitored have been concluded while 592 cases are still ongoing.

The data also captured that more than 376 of the probes by the two assemblies have surpassed over 1,000 days. Ripples Nigeria captured in this report, the only three probes concluded by other government agencies.

However, RipplesMetrics scraped data to filter the probes by the National Assembly and findings showed a total number of 266 probes. Of this amount, the Senate has launched 114 probes while the House of Representatives has 152 probes.

But, none of the probes, according to the data, were reported concluded.

Some probes by the 10th Assembly

In July, the House of Representatives said it would investigate alleged crude oil theft to the tune of $4 billion. This was to curb the excessive crude oil theft in the country. The motion was sponsored by Philip Agbese who said that in 2021 alone, Nigeria lost $4 billion to oil theft at the rate of 200,000 barrels per day.

READ ALSO:RipplesMetrics: Tribunals determine who should be governors in 22 states, 6 pending

Also, in the same month, a member of the House of Representatives, Uduak Odudoh, mandated its committee on Finance to investigate the alleged non-remittance of N2 trillion and other due taxes by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited into the federation account.

Similarly, Oluwole Oke also moved a motion to investigate the allegations of abuse of tax incentives, tax breaks, and tax waivers by public institutions and companies benefitting from such incentives, leading to a loss of N14 trillion in revenue while James Shuaibu Barka moved them to investigate the recent revocation of the operational licenses of 47 microfinance banks across the country and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.

Meanwhile, among other hundreds of probes the Senate announced that it would investigate the N6.5 billion-shoreline protection contract awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2006. It also said that it had launched a probe on the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as projected nominal revenues from the combined concession of NAIA and MAKIA were expected to exceed $4 billion.

Also, a motion by Patrick Chinwuba was moved to investigate payments made as oil subsidies and under-recovery by former President Buhari’s government running into N9.3 trillion as well as N6.5 billion shoreline protection contract awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2006.

Both federal legislative chambers have continued to announce probes after probes in furtherance of their oversight functions. However, the outcomes of these probes have not seen the light of day, as they have not deemed it fit to inform Nigerians of the outcome of the hundreds of probes same way they announced their commencement.

By James Odunayo

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now