Borno Govt Admits N4bn Rail Project in Budget Report Was Error

The Borno State Government has admitted that the inclusion of a N4bn rail project in its 2025 Budget Implementation Report was an administrative error.

The clarification came after Tracka, a civic accountability organisation, questioned the state’s claim that N2bn each was spent on rail projects in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere LGA, with both listed as 100% completed.

Tracka said field visits in May 2026 found no evidence of new rail construction or rehabilitation in the areas. The group reported only old, deteriorating infrastructure at the Maiduguri Railway Terminus and along rail corridors in MMC and Jere LGAs.

“There was no visible evidence of recently completed works, no active sites, no contractor presence, and no signage indicating N4bn worth of projects had been executed,” Tracka said.

In a statement Monday, Commissioner for Information and Internal Security Usman Tar said an internal review confirmed no rail project was awarded, funded, or executed by the state in 2025.

“Consultations with the Ministry of Budget, Ministry of Transport and Energy, and other agencies showed no record of any rail construction project within the period under review,” Tar said.

He added that no Executive Council approval was sought, no budget clearance requested, no contract awarded, and no funds released for such a project.

“It was, however, noted that the inclusion of the rail project entry in the 2025 Budget Implementation Report, indicating 100% completion, was an administrative error. The project was neither executed nor paid for,” the statement read.

Tar said steps were being taken to correct the records and prevent a recurrence. He reiterated the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability, and appreciated citizens and civil society groups for promoting good governance.