By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has summoned the chairmen and finance directors of the six Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils over alleged financial infractions amounting to over N100 billion.
The summons followed the submission of an audit report by the Auditor-General for the FCT Area Councils, which indicted Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali Area Councils for widespread breaches of financial regulations.
The audit report revealed that the six councils recorded outstanding liabilities totalling N7.65 billion as at December 31, 2021.
The liabilities include unremitted pension deductions, Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE), unpaid capital project obligations, unremitted VAT, and withholding taxes owed to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and the FCT Inland Revenue Service.
The Auditor-General also faulted the councils for poor asset management, noting widespread failure to properly maintain and update Fixed Asset Registers. In Gwagwalada Area Council alone, non-current assets valued at N336 million were reportedly not adequately documented.
The report noted that 37 per cent of funds reportedly allocated to capital projects were not properly accounted for. An expenditure breakdown showed that AMAC spent N5.03 billion, Gwagwalada N4.66 billion, Kuje N3.85 billion, Kwali N3.84 billion, Bwari N3.74 billion, and Abaji N3.71 billion.
The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Hon. Bamidele Salam, confirmed that the audit findings had been formally received by the committee.
He disclosed that three separate letters had been issued to the chairmen of the six Area Councils and their finance directors, summoning them to appear before the committee to respond to the audit queries.
Salam said the summoned officials had been given a final opportunity to appear on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, warning that failure to honour the invitation would compel the House to invoke its constitutional powers, including ordering their arrest.
“Public funds must be managed with transparency and prudence, and any official found culpable would be held accountable in accordance with the law,” he added.
