The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued a stern warning to Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen, threatening jail terms for those found tampering with Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), made this announcement on Thursday during the 17th-anniversary annual lecture event of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria in Abuja. Fagbemi emphasized that LGA chairmen do not possess immunity and would face incarceration if they misuse funds intended for the development of their areas.
“We have a situation on our hands; I know that it is still there; the conduct of elections is to be undertaken by the states. The governors have immunity, the local government council chairmen or councillors do not. They have to choose between handling the local government funds appropriately or risking jail,” Fagbemi stated.
He further added, “If they want to tamper with these funds and end up in jail, it is their choice. If they want to write their names in letters of gold, activities like construction or road upgrades must be returned to the local government. They don’t all have to come to Abuja. If they stay at the local government, we will be able to reduce the level of insecurity that we have in Nigeria today.”
The minister underscored the importance of local governance in enhancing security, noting that grassroots information is crucial for optimal performance of security agents.
