Contractors protesting alleged non-payment for executed projects in Kaduna State have accused government officials of intimidation, political protection and lack of transparency in the handling of the matter.
The aggrieved contractors said it was difficult to believe that the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs and the state government were unaware of the alleged developments, insisting that the situation raises serious concerns about the transparency of the EFCC process and possible political protection being extended to key suspects while genuine contractors continue to suffer.
They also condemned as “arrogant and insensitive” a statement allegedly made by the Commissioner, Hon. Sadiq Mamman Lagos, where he reportedly said: “We started paying some contractors but stopped because it turned to blackmail.”
According to the contractors, those demanding payment for completed projects should not be labelled blackmailers.
“Contractors who have sunk their capital, taken loans, and completed projects are not blackmailers for demanding what is rightfully theirs. The partial payments some received were a recognition of the government’s moral and legal obligation.
“Withdrawing them because we refused to remain silent about our suffering is punitive and amounts to further victimisation. Our protest is born out of desperation, not blackmail,” they stated.
The group further alleged that the government attempted to mislead the public by denying that security personnel disrupted their protest at the Ministry.
According to them, claims that police were only invited to maintain peace were false, insisting that security operatives acted on “orders from above” to chase them away.
“Multiple eyewitnesses, including journalists and civil society observers, documented how security personnel chased us out. Videos and pictures of the incident are already in the public domain. This heavy-handed approach only confirms the intimidating posture of the government towards citizens legitimately demanding their entitlements,” they said.
The contractors also accused the state government of adopting what they described as a pattern of denial, citing the January 2026 attack and abduction of worshippers in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area, which they claimed was initially denied before police later confirmed it.
“The Commissioner’s dismissal of our claims as social media fake news follows the same discredited template. We are not faceless social media handles. We are real contractors with completed projects, invoices, site photographs and evidence of government engagement,” the statement added.
They maintained that the Kaduna State Government, through the Ministry of Local Government Affairs, bears supervisory responsibility over local government projects and funds.
The contractors alleged that allocations to the 23 local government councils remain suspiciously low and poorly accounted for, raising concerns of possible diversion of funds.
They demanded a comprehensive forensic audit of all local government allocations and project expenditures within the period under review.
The group also called for the investigation of public officials, including the Commissioner and local government chairmen, over alleged abuse of office, conspiracy and possible complicity in the matter.
“We have escalated this matter to the ICPC, EFCC and other relevant authorities with substantial evidence, including correspondence, memoranda of understanding, site photographs and testimonies.
“Contractors who delivered value to the people of Kaduna State are being impoverished while those allegedly involved in the scam continue to enjoy political patronage.
“The ball is now in the court of anti-corruption agencies and the judiciary. We remain committed to peaceful but resolute advocacy until justice is served,” they added.
