The Senate Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation has issued an official summons to the management of the Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA). The legislative action follows alarming allegations of corruption, non-transparent asset sales, and the illegal diversion of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) within the agency.
In a formal directive dated May 26, 2026, and signed by the Committee Clerk, Ememike Nwofor Leonard, the Managing Director of the CBDA was ordered to appear before the panel at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja. The management must present comprehensive documentation regarding the ongoing auction of government properties.
The Senate Committee expressed deep concern after discovering that strategic public infrastructure was being auctioned off without any formal briefing, justification, or statutory compliance reports being submitted to the National Assembly.
Invoking its constitutional oversight powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as the Senate Standing Orders, the Committee has demanded the immediate disclosure of:
Complete institutional asset registers and official valuation reports.
Transparent records of the bidding and selection processes.
Explicit written approvals from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
The legislative probe comes on the heels of serious insider leaks. Whistleblowers within the CBDA revealed that an exercise originally approved to dispose of “unserviceable assets” was allegedly manipulated to include high-value, functional equipment.The mounting allegations against the CBDA leadership include:
The fraudulent sale of recently acquired, fully operational government vehicles and machinery procured between 2020 and 2023.
The systematic diversion of public revenues generated from the authority’s equipment hiring services.
A complete lack of transparency in the auctioning processes to favor select buyers.
The Senate Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation has reiterated that it will not tolerate the unapproved liquidation of public property or the diversion of state funds. The upcoming hearing is expected to unravel the extent of the administrative infractions and determine the necessary legal and disciplinary actions required to safeguard the nation’s water sector assets.
