𝐀𝐭𝐢𝐤𝐮 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐅𝐆 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 ₦𝟏𝟕.𝟓𝐭𝐧 𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government over a reported ₦17.5tn expenditure on pipeline security, describing the figure as shocking and demanding an immediate explanation.

Atiku, in a statement on Sunday, said the spending raises serious concerns about transparency and fiscal responsibility, especially at a time when the country is struggling with revenue shortages and mounting public debt. He argued that such an amount, if confirmed, would represent one of the most “audacious financial scandals” under the current administration.

He queried how a single sector could attract what he called an “economically impossible” security allocation, urging the government to publish a breakdown of the expenditure, the beneficiaries, and the procurement processes involved.

The former Vice-President also faulted what he described as the government’s growing reliance on opaque security contracts, warning that such practices undermine accountability and worsen Nigeria’s economic challenges.

Atiku called on the National Assembly, civil society groups, and anti-corruption agencies to launch a full-scale investigation into the spending to ensure Nigerians are not “kept in the dark about the use of public funds.”

He added that the administration must prioritise transparency and explain how such a significant figure was approved, warning that failure to do so would further erode public trust.