The House of Representatives, on July 1, 2025, demanded a detailed breakdown of Rivers State’s N1.48 trillion 2025 budget, raising concerns over a N24 billion allocation for CCTV cameras across the state’s 23 local government areas.
The resolution, adopted after a motion by Rep. Kingsley Chinda, followed Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s budget presentation, which allocates 40% to infrastructure and 20% to security. The CCTV project, intended to curb crime in Port Harcourt, where 1,000 kidnappings occurred in 2024, was flagged for potential cost inflation, given Nigeria’s average CCTV installation cost of N50,000 per unit.
The House committee, chaired by Rep. Abubakar Yalleman, summoned Fubara to clarify the budget’s 60% recurrent expenditure and the N24 billion contract awarded to a single firm, raising transparency concerns.
Rivers, contributing 20% to Nigeria’s oil revenue, faces scrutiny amid a political rift between Fubara and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, reconciled by Tinubu in June 2025. Critics argue the CCTV funds could equip 5,000 police officers, while supporters cite a 15% crime reduction in Lagos due to similar systems. The probe, set to conclude by Q4 2025, aims to ensure accountability for Rivers’ 7 million residents.