Ex‑Rivers Sole Administrator Ibas Approved ₦28bn for CCTV, Govt Reveals in SERAP Suit

The Rivers State Accountant‑General and the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning have disclosed that former Rivers State sole administrator Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas approved ₦28 billion for the installation of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) at the State House — a revelation made in court filings tied to an ongoing freedom of information lawsuit.

The disclosure came in a 10 March 2026 counter‑affidavit filed by the state government in response to a suit by the Socio‑Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which is seeking transparency on how public funds were spent during the six‑month emergency rule in Rivers State.

In the affidavit filed at the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, the state’s Accountant‑General and budget officials confirmed that ₦28 billion had been approved for the installation of CCTV at the Government House, but stated that no actual expenditure had been incurred on the project to date, and therefore no supporting documents are available.

The Coun­ter‑affi­davit also detailed the state’s overall financial activities between March and August 2025 — a period that coincided with the emergency rule — noting that Rivers State received over ₦253.48 billion from Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations, alongside other receipts totaling more than ₦44.87 billion, bringing total income to nearly ₦298.35 billion.

According to the exhibits attached to the counter‑affidavit — including bank statements and capital budget pages — the total expenditure during the period exceeded ₦302.35 billion, covering salaries, pensions, overheads, loans, and allocations to ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

Key disclosures from the exhibits include:

• ₦112.41 billion spent on salaries, pensions, and overheads;

• ₦163.44 billion allocated to MDAs, with more than ₦106 billion disbursed in August alone;

• ₦26.01 billion for loan servicing and over ₦491.59 million in bank charges;

• Over ₦2.5 billion released for Government House quarters, though only ₦1.1 billion was reflected as spent;

• Rehabilitation and equipment projects with varying disbursement details.

The counter‑affidavit asserts that the state government “does not contest SERAP’s right to access information” under the Freedom of Information Act and has complied by furnishing available documents, but noted that any delay in providing the information did not cause specific harm to the organisation.

Speaking on the development, SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare said analysts are studying the extensive documents to assess whether the government has fully complied with information requests or if further action is required.

The lawsuit, filed on 31 October 2025, seeks a judicial determination of whether SERAP is entitled to the requested information under the constitution and the Freedom of Information Act. The case is being heard before Hon. Justice S.H. Aprioku of the Rivers State High Court and has been adjourned to 19 May 2026 for further proceedings.

Political analysts say the case highlights growing public demand for accountability in government spending, especially in periods of emergency governance when large budgetary allocations are involved.