_...Call for Forensic Audit Over Alleged ₦16.6bn Spending Irregularities_
_...Stated that His Actions Do Not Reflect the True Character and Values of South-East Youths_
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone F (South-East), has called for the immediate suspension of the leadership of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), Chaired by Mr Mark Okoye pending the outcome of a comprehensive investigation into allegations surrounding the management of over ₦16.6 billion released to the Commission from the 2025 federal budget.
In a strongly worded statement issued by the Coordinator of NANS Zone F, Comrade Ikechukwu Emmanuel Obi, the association expressed deep concern over revelations that emerged during the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission's oversight session held on June 9, 2026, where lawmakers raised serious questions regarding the Commission's expenditure profile, financial accountability, and administrative priorities.
According to NANS Zone F, the concerns raised by members of the Senate Committee have sparked widespread outrage and unease among students, youths, civil society groups, and stakeholders across the South-East, particularly amid allegations that substantial public funds may have been expended without adequate documentation or visible developmental impact on the region.
The student body noted that among the issues reportedly raised during the Senate proceedings were allegations that out of the ₦16.6 billion released to the Commission, approximately ₦3.6 billion had allegedly been spent without sufficient supporting documentation. Lawmakers also reportedly questioned the expenditure of ₦153 million for the rental of a one-room liaison office in Abuja, as well as a controversial ₦2.5 billion entry reportedly classified as "implied expenditure" without clear explanation or justification.
NANS Zone F described the allegations as deeply troubling, especially given the enormous developmental challenges confronting the South-East region, including poor road infrastructure, widespread youth unemployment, environmental degradation, erosion menace, insecurity, declining educational facilities, and economic stagnation.
While acknowledging that newly established institutions often require administrative groundwork, stakeholder engagements, planning sessions, and structural consultations to effectively commence operations, the association maintained that such activities must never become substitutes for measurable development outcomes.
According to the statement, "The people of the South-East cannot continue to hear about billions of naira being spent while communities remain without critical infrastructure, students struggle under poor learning conditions, roads deteriorate, erosion devastates communities, and unemployment continues to rise."
Consequently, NANS Zone F called for the immediate suspension of the Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer, and all principal officers directly involved in financial approvals and expenditure management within the Commission.
The association argued that such a step is necessary to preserve the integrity of ongoing scrutiny, prevent interference with investigations, and reassure the public that accountability remains a cornerstone of governance.
NANS Zone F further demanded an urgent and independent forensic audit of all financial inflows, allocations, commitments, contracts, procurement processes, and expenditures undertaken by the South East Development Commission since its inception.
The student body urged that the audit be conducted by reputable independent auditing firms working alongside relevant anti-corruption and oversight agencies to ensure transparency and credibility.
The association also expressed concern over what it described as a growing public perception that significant portions of the Commission's resources may have been directed towards conferences, retreats, consultations, stakeholder engagements, and administrative activities, while communities across the region continue to witness limited evidence of corresponding development projects.
NANS maintained that if prudently managed, the resources currently under scrutiny could have transformed lives across the South-East through strategic interventions such as the establishment of a South East Student Innovation and Enterprise Fund, regional scholarship and bursary schemes for indigent students, large-scale erosion control projects, rehabilitation of inter-state and university access roads, and upgrades to critical campus infrastructure including hostels, laboratories, healthcare centres, water systems, and digital learning facilities.
The association further identified youth skills acquisition programmes, employment generation initiatives, industrial cluster development, SME support hubs, agricultural value-chain financing, and investments in regional security infrastructure as priority areas deserving urgent attention.
NANS Zone F emphasized that public institutions established for regional development must be assessed not merely on procedural compliance or expenditure reports but on measurable outcomes that directly improve the lives of citizens.
The association insisted that every naira allocated to the South East Development Commission must be traceable to projects capable of delivering visible and sustainable benefits to the people of the region, particularly students and young people who constitute a significant proportion of the population.
"Infrastructure, employment, education, innovation, environmental protection, and security should be the visible outcomes of development funding. Anything short of this raises legitimate concerns that must be addressed through transparency and accountability," the statement noted.
Consequently, NANS Zone F reiterated its call for immediate leadership restructuring within the South East Development Commission pending the conclusion of a full and independent investigation.
The association clarified that its position does not amount to a declaration of guilt against any individual or institution but represents a necessary institutional response aimed at protecting public trust, preserving accountability, and safeguarding the developmental future of the South-East.
NANS Zone F reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement with all stakeholders while maintaining that public institutions entrusted with billions of naira in development funds must remain fully accountable to the people they are established to serve.
Copies of the statement were forwarded to the Presidency, the National Assembly, the National President of NANS, the NANS Senate President, the Inspector General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS)
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