Despite fiscal provisions in Nigeria which frown at government funds being paid into private accounts, the Nigerian government has paid amounts running into over N2billion into the personal accounts of four ex-militants for the 2025 fiscal year.
This development is based on a review of the public payments’ portal, Govspend.
On April 22, 2025, a sum of N33.2 million was paid to ex-militant Odiki Jacob with the payment description: “Being payment of March 2025 bulk stipends to camp leader of Ekpomopolo Tobi Camp phase 1, for 500 delegates as approved by the administrator.”
Prior to this, a sum of N31 million was paid into his account on March 18, 2025. Earlier, on February 27, 2025, a sum of N33.2 million had also been paid into his personal account.
Similarly, on May 15, 2025, another N32.5 million was paid into his account. On June 25, 2025, a further N32.5 million was paid to him. Odiki also received N33.2 million on July 25, 2025, and another N33.2 million on October 28, 2025.
On November 24, 2025, a sum of N32.5million was also paid into his account.
In total, he received N228.8 million in 2025.
Another ex-militant, Harry Tonye Ikemenjeme, received a payment of N33.5 million on April 22, 2025.
Dasimaka Adokiye Sami received N186.3 million on April 22, 2025, with the payment description: “Being payment of March, 2025, bulk stipend to the camp leader of ateke camp phase 1, 2802 delegates as approved by the administrator.”
Earlier, on February 27, 2025, he had received N186.3 million. On March 18, 2025, another N173.7 million was paid into his account.
On May 15, 2025, he received N182.1 million, while on June 22, 2025, another N182.1 million was paid into his account.
On July 25, 2025, a sum of N186.3 million was paid into his private account, while on October 28, 2025, another N186.3 million was also paid.
On November 24, 2025, he received an additional N182.1 million.
In total, Dasimaka received N1.465 billion into his personal account.
A former commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Ebikabowei Victor Ben also known as Boyloaf, also received N80.7 million into his private account on February 27, 2025. On the same day, he received another N33.2 million.
The payment description read: “Being payment of January 2025 bulk stipends to the camp leader for the 200 delegates of Boyloaf camp phase 2, as approved by the administrator on 29th January 2025.”
On March 18, 2025, a sum of N75.2 million was paid into his account, with another N30 million paid on the same day.
On April 22, 2025, he received N80.731 million, alongside another N33.2 million paid the same day.
On May 15, 2025, a sum of N78.9 million was paid into his account, with another N32.5 million paid on the same day with the description: “Being payment of April bulk stipends to the above named camp leader for the 1214 delegates of Boyloaf camp phase 1 as approved by the administrator.”
On June 25, 2025, a sum of N78.9 million was paid to Ebikabowei, with another N32.5 million paid on the same day.
On July 25, 2025, another N80.7 million was paid into his account, while another N33.2 million was paid on the same day.
On October 28, 2025, he received N80.7 million, alongside another N33.2 million paid on the same day.
On November 24, 2025, a sum of N32.5 million was paid into his account, with another N78.9 million also paid on the same day.
In total, he received N861.8 million during the 2025 fiscal year reviewed.
The “National President” of Niger Delta ex-agitators, Turu Cletus John, also received N53.8 million on April 23, 2025 with the payment description “Being third and final installment payment to camp leader for 26 months arrears not paid due to bvn issues.”
In total, the ex-militants received N2.6 billion into their personal accounts.
Previously, a SaharaReporters review of the budget performance document for the fourth quarter of 2024 showed that the Nigerian government spent N65 billion on the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in the 2024 fiscal year. The same amount was spent in 2023, the review showed.
This means that between the 2023 and 2024 fiscal years, a total of N130 billion was spent on the programme aimed at ex-militants from the Niger Delta region.
In November 2024, SaharaReporters reported that a document by the Auditor-General of the Federation exposed a withdrawal of over N6 billion without proper auditing processes.
These included the payment of tuition fees to various universities for students under the PAP without records of their identity.
The report highlighted a disregard for financial regulations, with N1.53 billion paid as tuition fees without supporting documents.
This constitutes a breach of Paragraph 708 of the Financial Regulations, 2009, which states that payment should not be made for services not yet performed or goods not yet supplied.
Furthermore, the report revealed widespread breaches of Paragraph 603(i) of the FR 2009, which requires vouchers to contain full particulars of each service, including dates, numbers, quantities, distances, and rates. (SaharaReporters)