Abia spent N1bn on 12 vehicles, not N2bn – Commissioner

Abia State says it bought 12 Toyota Hilux vehicles for ₦1,003,091,350, not two vehicles for ₦2 billion as an error in its 2025 Accountant-General’s Report appeared to indicate.

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Following a review of the underlying payment records and supporting procurement documents, the Office of the Accountant-General has confirmed that the expenditure of approximately ₦1,003,091,350.00 relates to the procurement of Twelve Toyota Hilux vehicles, not two.

Commissioner for Information Okey Kanu said the discrepancy resulted from a quantity-entry mistake. The figure “2” on page 401 of the consolidated schedule omitted the digit “1” and did not represent the number of vehicles purchased.

The government said payment records and procurement documents confirmed the transaction. The listed purchases included two 2024 Toyota Hilux vehicles from Ubale Services Enterprises for ₦177.75 million, five Toyota Hilux double-cab petrol vehicles from Globe Motors Holdings for ₦412.67 million, and five Toyota Hilux four-wheel-drive double-cab vehicles from the same company for ₦412.67 million.

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The figure ‘2’ that appeared on page 401 of the consolidated schedule resulted from the omission of the digit ‘1’. It did not reflect the actual number of vehicles purchased.

The verified total amounts to an average of about ₦83.59 million per vehicle. The state said the suppliers, vehicle specifications and transaction values could be independently checked through the companies and government records.

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we value your feedback and active scrutiny

The government thanked residents and the wider public for scrutinizing the financial report. It said Governor Alex Otti’s administration accepted that official publications can contain errors and would correct the record with an explanatory note in keeping with its stated commitment to transparency and accountability.

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This administration remains committed to transparency, accountability and the responsible management of public resources.