Court orders Benue governor Alia to disclose state financial records
The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has ordered Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia to disclose records of the state’s finances dating back to June 2023, following a lawsuit seeking greater transparency in the management of public funds.
Justice Hamza Mu’azu of the FCT High Court in Maitama issued the order in a suit filed by Joseph Waya, a former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The court directed the state government to provide comprehensive records of federal allocations, internally generated revenue, loans, grants, government contracts and other sources of public funding received under Alia’s administration.
The disclosure also covers foreign donations, personnel expenditure and pension payments.
Waya approached the court after alleging that the state government failed to respond adequately to a request for financial information submitted under the Freedom of Information Act on 8 September 2025.
The court upheld his right to access the requested records and ordered the state government to comply with the disclosure requirements.
The judgment comes amid growing political controversy over the management of public funds in Benue State.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had claimed that Benue receives approximately ₦30 billion monthly from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
Reacting to the claim, the Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenged Governor Alia to explain how the allocations had been utilised or publicly dispute the figures presented by Wike.
The opposition party further alleged that combined federal allocations to the state government and its 23 local government councils had exceeded ₦1.3 trillion since Alia assumed office in May 2023.
It demanded a detailed breakdown of expenditure on security, healthcare, education, agriculture and infrastructure, questioning the benefits residents had received from the increased allocations.
However, the figures cited by Wike and the PDP remain claims that require verification against official government financial records.
The court’s decision arose specifically from Waya’s request for access to public financial information and does not constitute a finding of corruption, misappropriation or financial misconduct against Governor Alia or his administration.
The ruling places renewed attention on public financial disclosure and accountability in Benue State.