Nigerian Senate Summons CBDA Leadership Amidst Allegation of Fraudulent Asset Sales, IGR Diversion

By: Zagazola Makama 

The Senate Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation has summoned the management of the Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA) over alleged irregularities in asset disposal processes by the leadership of the agency. 

The invitation, contained in a formal letter dated May 26, 2026 and signed by the Committee Clerk, Ememike Nwofor Leonard, directs the Managing Director of the Authority to appear before the Committee on June 3, 2026 at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, alongside detailed documentation relating to the ongoing auction of government properties.

The Committee said it was alarmed that it was neither briefed nor furnished with details regarding the rationale, approval processes, or statutory compliance guiding the disposal of assets described as “strategic public infrastructure.”

It invoked its constitutional oversight powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as Senate Standing Orders, 2023, demanding full disclosure of asset registers, valuation reports, bidding processes, and approvals from relevant federal agencies, including the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

The development comes amid mounting allegations of large-scale corruption and financial misconduct within the Authority, including claims of non-transparent auctioning of assets, diversion of revenue from equipment hiring services, and alleged sale of recently acquired government equipment and vehicles. 

According to whistleblowers within the Authority, the controversial auction exercise was initially presented as a disposal of unserviceable assets but allegedly expanded to include serviceable and recently procured equipment acquired between 2020 and 2023.

The assets reportedly involved in the disputed disposal include heavy-duty machinery such as excavators, bulldozers, graders, drilling rigs, tractors, fuel tankers, and official vehicles including Toyota Hilux and Corolla units, as well as equipment linked to federal projects in Borno State.

The whistleblowers further alleged that the process was carried out without public advertisement, stakeholder consultation, or a transparent bidding framework, in violation of the Public Procurement Act (2007), Financial Regulations, Public Service Rules, and other statutory guidelines.

They also alleged the absence of approvals from key regulatory institutions, including the Federal Executive Council (FEC), BPP, and BPE, describing the process as “procedurally defective and deliberately manipulated. 

Forming the basis of the allegation is the current leadership of the Authority led by Managing Director/CEO Tijjani Musa Tumsah, alongside Board Chairman Prof. Abdu Dauda Biu, and executive directors overseeing Engineering, Finance and Administration, Agricultural Services, and Planning and Design.

Sources within the Authority alleged that senior officials may have influenced the auction process for personal benefit, including claims that top officials were positioning themselves to acquire official vehicles and assets under disposal, a development staff described as a conflict of interest and breach of public trust.

Further allegations suggest that internally generated revenue from equipment leasing and guest house operations was allegedly diverted into private accounts rather than being remitted to government coffers, contributing to what insiders described as “systematic revenue leakages.”

Whistleblowers also alleged that financial inducements were used to suppress internal resistance, including claims of cash disbursements routed through a POS operator allegedly used to distribute funds to staff members in exchange for cooperation.

The staff further raised concerns over the absence of project execution under the current administration, alleging that no major development initiative has been completed since the leadership assumed office in March 2025.

The Senate Committee, in its invitation, directed the CBDA management to submit comprehensive records including asset registers, justification for disposal, valuation reports, bidding documentation, and evidence of approvals from all relevant regulatory bodies.

It also requested details of consultations conducted with stakeholders across Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States, as well as full disclosure of successful bidders and expected revenue inflows from the auction exercise.

Meanwhile, the whistleblowers have called on anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to launch a full-scale investigation into the allegations.

As of press time, the CBDA management had not issued any official response to the allegations, while none of the individuals named in the claims have been indicted by any court or investigative authority.

The Senate Committee is expected to grill the Authority’s leadership during the scheduled session as part of its constitutional oversight function.