The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen who misuse funds allocated from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), announced the government’s position on Thursday at the 17th-anniversary annual lecture event of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) in Abuja.
Fagbemi stressed that LGA chairmen are not protected by the same immunity that governors enjoy and, as such, are liable to face legal consequences if found misappropriating public funds.
The minister highlighted that the absence of immunity for LGA officials leaves them vulnerable to prosecution and potential imprisonment if they engage in financial misconduct.
“We have a situation on our hands; the conduct of elections is to be undertaken by the states,” Fagbemi said.
“But the distinction is this: the governors have immunity, the local government council chairmen or councillors do not.
They have to choose between dealing with the funds of the local government as they like and risking going to jail. The choice is theirs.”
Fagbemi underscored the government’s commitment to ensuring that FAAC funds are utilized for their intended purposes—primarily for the development and improvement of local communities.
He suggested that responsible management of these funds could significantly enhance local infrastructure and public services, thereby improving the quality of life for residents.
“If they want to tamper with these funds and end up in jail, it is their choice,” Fagbemi warned.
“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.”
The minister also linked the proper use of FAAC funds to broader national security concerns.
He argued that efficient governance at the local level could help reduce insecurity across the country by fostering closer cooperation between security agencies and the grassroots.
“What obtains offshore is that the security agents are able to perform optimally because of information that comes to them from members of the public, and usually it is from the grassroots,” he noted.
The Federal Government’s warning serves as a crucial reminder to LGA chairmen about the legal and ethical responsibilities of handling public funds.
It also highlights the government’s ongoing efforts to promote transparency and accountability at all levels of government, aiming to curb corruption and ensure that resources are used for the benefit of all Nigerians
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