₦400 Million School Renovation Fund Reportedly Vanishes in Niger State

Civic organisation Tracka has raised alarm over the alleged disappearance of about ₦400 million meant for the renovation of Government Day Secondary School, Diko, in Gurara Local Government Area in Nigeria State.

In a statement shared on Thursday through its social media platforms, Tracka questioned how such a huge amount could reportedly be spent without any visible work done at the school.

According to the organisation, the school was first visited in 2020, where it discovered that students were learning in extremely poor and unsafe conditions. The school, which serves about 14 communities, was described as “completely dysfunctional and dilapidated.”

Tracka said classrooms in the school had no doors or windows, roofs were collapsing, ceilings had been ripped off, while many students sat on bare floors during lessons. The organisation also noted that the school lacked perimeter fencing, exposing both students and teachers to security risks.

The civic group revealed that in the 2025 Niger State budget, a total of ₦457.6 million was allocated for the renovation of the school. It added that the state’s fourth-quarter Budget Implementation Report claimed that ₦400 million, about 87.4 percent of the total allocation, had already been released.

However, Tracka said recent visits to both the senior secondary school and the junior secondary section, which was relocated over three kilometres away, showed no sign of renovation or rehabilitation work, “But the shocking reality is that there is absolutely no evidence of project execution on ground. No contractor. No ongoing work. No rehabilitation. Nothing,” the organisation stated.

The group questioned how such a large sum could allegedly be spent while students continued learning in collapsing classrooms without furniture or proper security, “Who received the funds? Who certified the project performance? Where exactly was the money spent?” Tracka asked.

The organisation warned that the situation reflects a growing pattern across many states where public funds are budgeted and reportedly released, yet citizens see little or no development in critical sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
Tracka therefore called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to immediately investigate the matter and ensure accountability, “We must do better. Nigeria should not continue budgeting for progress while communities remain trapped in neglect,” the statement added.

The development has sparked fresh concerns over transparency and accountability in public spending, especially in the education sector where many schools across Nigeria continue to suffer from neglect and poor infrastructure.

Cases of abandoned or poorly executed school projects have become common in several parts of the country despite rising budget allocations. In 2025, reports emerged of several public schools in Niger State operating under dangerous conditions, with students learning in buildings at risk of collapse.