₦7 Trillion Budget Scam Proves Nigeria Is Run Like a Crime Scene – Peter Obi

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has condemned the alleged fraudulent insertions in Nigeria’s 2025 national budget, describing the development as further proof that the country is being run like a crime scene.

Obi’s reaction follows a report by civic tech organisation BudgIT Nigeria, which revealed that over 11,000 questionable projects, amounting to ₦6.93 trillion, were inserted into the budget by members of the National Assembly. BudgIT described the development as part of a “deeply entrenched culture of exploitation and abuse,” allegedly spearheaded by the legislature’s leadership.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas—both of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—currently lead the two chambers.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Obi said, “Nigeria remains a relentless scene of corruption. I have consistently maintained that for this country to make progress, Nigeria must cease to function as a crime scene and be repositioned for genuine development.”

“This entrenched corruption—persistent and deeply rooted—must be nipped in the bud if there is to be any meaningful turnaround,” he added.

Citing BudgIT’s findings, Obi said the ₦7 trillion uncovered in suspicious allocations likely represents only a fraction of the actual amount misappropriated.
“These findings are deeply troubling and confirm my long-held position that we have turned our country into a crime scene,” he stated.
“We must urgently and aggressively combat corruption, misappropriation, and fiscal recklessness in order to manage our resources effectively and efficiently, and invest in critical areas of development: health, education, and lifting our people out of poverty.”

He attributed the country’s educational crisis, poor healthcare system, widespread hunger, and weak agricultural investment to the unchecked corruption by political leaders.
“This brazen impunity by our leaders is precisely why the country cannot invest adequately in education—hence the existence of nearly 20 million out-of-school children,” he stated.

He warned that the same fiscal irresponsibility hampers Nigeria’s ability to fund MSMEs, improve food security, and tackle insecurity.
“These glaring acts of corruption reinforce my position: Nigeria has been reduced to a crime scene.”

“We must confront this corruption, misappropriation, and fiscal recklessness with unwavering resolve. Our national resources must be transparently managed and strategically invested in key sectors—health, education, and poverty alleviation—to secure a better future for our people. We must turn this nation around,” the former Anambra State Governor said.