Bauchi Youth Group Petitions ICPC Over N1.5bn Constituency Projects Linked to Senator Shehu Buba

Bauchi Youth Group Petitions ICPC Over N1.5bn Constituency Projects Linked to Senator Shehu Buba

The Bauchi State Youth Democratic Assembly (BSYDA) has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), requesting an independent and comprehensive investigation into the implementation, procurement, disbursement and utilisation of funds for constituency and Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP) attributed to the office of Senator Shehu Umar Buba, representing Bauchi South Senatorial District.

In the petition dated August 3, 2026 and acknowledged as received by the Office of the Chairman on August 20, 2026, the group urged the anti-corruption agency to verify the existence, location, execution, completion and value-for-money of projects allegedly funded between 2023 and 2026.

The petition, addressed to the ICPC Chairman through the department responsible for the investigation of public procurement, Zonal Intervention and Constituency Projects, stressed that its request was not intended to prejudge Senator Buba, contractors, implementing agencies or government officials connected with the projects.

Rather, the organisation said it wanted the relevant authorities to independently establish the facts and determine whether public funds appropriated for the benefit of constituents were properly utilised.

Projects Listed for Verification

According to documents attached to the petition, the group identified several projects and disbursements requiring independent verification.

Among them is the construction of Primary Health Care Centres in Bauchi South Senatorial District, for which the petition lists ₦135,722,850, reportedly disbursed on May 12, 2026, with Hard Harts Construction Ltd named as contractor and the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, listed as the implementing agency.

Another project is the construction of roads in selected locations in Bauchi South Senatorial District, with an amount of ₦271.5 million listed as disbursed on May 12, 2026. Gornion Engineering Ltd is identified as the contractor, while the same federal institution is listed as the implementing agency.

The petition also lists ₦135,722,850 for the construction of blocks of classrooms in Bauchi South Senatorial District, with Handerson Builders Ltd named as contractor.

Other projects cited include the provision of 400 irrigation pumps to farmers in Bauchi South Senatorial District, valued at ₦58.2 million, and the construction of two 450-metre roads—one from Sabon Gari to Bashi in Dass Local Government Area and another from Gidan Waya to Kwagazal in Kirfi Local Government Area—each listed at ₦93.975 million.

The group further requested verification of a ₦30.575 million borehole project, a ₦93.436 million fertiliser supply programme to farmers in various communities, and an ₦11.79 million rural electrification-related project, among others listed in its submission.

Based on the amounts visible in the petition for the first eight listed projects, the documented figures total approximately ₦913.3 million, while the ninth project is only partially visible in the supplied document. The petition itself refers to a wider body of projects and disbursements requiring investigation.

Calls for Physical Verification

BSYDA said its concerns stem from information available to the organisation suggesting that substantial public funds had been released for constituency and zonal intervention projects, while questions remained regarding the visibility, location, execution, completion and traceability of some of the projects.

It therefore urged the ICPC to conduct physical verification and examine relevant procurement and payment records, including whether the projects were procured in accordance with applicable public procurement rules.

The group also wants the commission to establish whether contractors actually executed the projects for which they were engaged, whether the amounts allegedly disbursed correspond with the work delivered, and whether the projects were completed to the required specifications.

Public Interest and Accountability

The petitioners argued that constituency intervention projects are designed to deliver tangible benefits to communities and should therefore be subject to effective public accountability.

They called on the ICPC to establish the facts without political interference, emphasising that the requested investigation should cover all relevant actors and institutions where necessary.

The petition does not, by itself, establish that any funds were misappropriated or that Senator Shehu Buba or any contractor committed an offence. Rather, the allegations and concerns contained in the petition remain matters for verification and investigation by the appropriate authorities.

The development comes amid increasing public scrutiny of the implementation of constituency and Zonal Intervention Projects across Nigeria, particularly over questions surrounding project identification, procurement, contractor selection, implementation and value for public money.

The Analyst Online Media understands that any findings by the ICPC would be expected to clarify whether the projects listed in the petition were properly executed and whether the public funds allocated to them were used for their intended purposes.