Kaduna State Accused of Defying Supreme Court, Withholding LG Funds for Months

Despite a landmark Supreme Court ruling guaranteeing financial autonomy, the 23 local government councils in Kaduna State have not received their full federal allocations for over three months, crippling local administration and security efforts, according to government sources.

Kaduna State is at the center of a growing constitutional and financial crisis, with allegations that the state government has been withholding federal allocations meant for its 23 local government areas. This practice, which sources say has persisted for several months, directly contravenes a July 2024 Supreme Court judgment that affirmed the financial autonomy of all Nigeria's local governments.

Internal sources revealed that since Governor Uba Sani took office in 2023, councils have only received a flat N10 million monthly from the state for operational costs, aside from salary payments. This stands in stark contrast to the full financial entitlements guaranteed by the constitution and upheld by the nation's highest court.

The funding drought has paralyzed local governance. A council official, who spoke anonymously for fear of reprisal, described a state of administrative collapse: “Local governments are bleeding. We cannot pay overheads. We cannot support security operations. We cannot pay casual staff. We cannot run basic administration.” The source emphasized that councils in restive areas are particularly hamstrung, forced to “watch their communities burn and count the dead without any means to respond.”

This crisis has reignited older allegations of financial misconduct. Sources pointed to longstanding claims that the State Ministry for Local Governments has diverted council funds into private fixed-deposit accounts. The current shortfall affects critical expenses in high-risk councils like Birnin Gwari, Kajuru, and Chikun, where funds for logistics, vigilante support, and intelligence gathering have dried up.

The controversy is further inflamed by a political feud between the current governor and his predecessor. Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai has publicly accused Governor Sani of financial mismanagement and diverting project funds. These accusations, however, are made in the shadow of a damning report from the Kaduna State House of Assembly, which alleges that El-Rufai’s own administration was responsible for massive loan mismanagement and inflated contracts, leaving the state heavily indebted.

As the blame game continues, the practical reality for Kaduna’s local governments remains dire. They await the resumption of their constitutional funding to fulfill their basic duties, while the standoff presents a critical test of the Supreme Court's authority and the practical implementation of Nigeria's federal principles.