The Yobe State Government in February 2026 approved the release of ₦120 million in public funds as medical allowances for former Governor Ibrahim Gaidam and two former deputy governors.
The approval was contained in a letter dated February 21, 2026, exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters from the Office of the Secretary to the Yobe State Government and addressed to the state Commissioner for Finance.
The letter, signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Baba Mallam Wali, said Governor Buni approved the release of the funds.
The document identified Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, Aliyu Saleh Bagare and Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu as the beneficiaries.
It stated that “Senator Ibrahim Geidam” was allocated ₦60 million, while Aliyu Saleh Bagare was allocated another ₦30 million.
According to the document, Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu was allocated ₦30 million, bringing the total amount approved to ₦120 million.
The letter described the payments as “medical allowances of the former Governor and 2 former Deputy Governors” and instructed that the money be released to the Secretary to the State Government.
“I am pleased to convey the approval of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Yobe State, Hon. (Dr.) Mai Mala Buni CON, for the release of the sum of N120,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Twenty Million Naira) only to the Secretary to the State Government being medical allowances of the former Governor and 2 former Deputy Governors,” the letter stated.
A source in the Yobe State Government, who spoke to SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly about government spending, said the approval was part of what he described as Buni’s efforts to maintain relationships with influential political figures in the state.
The source alleged that the governor had repeatedly approved such payments for former political office holders and influential figures who had played key roles in his political career.
“Governor Buni has always approved this kind of money for the people he considers his political godfathers and those who have played important roles in his political journey,” the source said.
However, the source could not provide proof of such previous payments, and SaharaReporters could not independently verify the claim.
The source added that the payments were not necessarily driven solely by immediate medical needs but were also viewed within government circles as a way of maintaining political relationships.
“These people are not ordinary beneficiaries. They are senior political figures in the state, and the governor knows that keeping them close is politically important. Medical allowances are one of the ways the government has continued to support them,” the source alleged.
The development raises fresh questions about public spending in Yobe State, particularly the allocation of substantial sums to former political office holders at a time when healthcare remains a major concern for ordinary residents.
The approval of ₦120 million for three former senior political office holders therefore raises questions about how the government balances benefits for former officials with healthcare needs among the wider population.
SaharaReporters had also reported that the Yobe State Government approved the release of ₦1.5 billion for payments relating to the International Cargo Airport in Damaturu.
An official document signed by the same Secretary to the State Government, Baba Mallam Wali, showed that Governor Buni approved ₦1,501,766,245.66 for the Ministry of Transport and Energy in connection with the airport project.
An accompanying project schedule listed proposed projects with a combined value of about ₦20 billion.
The latest approval adds to questions over the Buni administration’s spending priorities and the extent to which public resources are being directed towards former political office holders and major projects while ordinary residents continue to face significant healthcare and economic challenges.
The February 21 letter, referenced as GO/S/POL/76/VI and titled “Approval for the Release of Funds,” specifically stated that the governor had approved “the release of the sum of N120,000,000.00” as medical allowances.
The document was copied to the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning “for their information.”
When SaharaReporters contacted Yusuf Ali, Senior Special Assistant on Digital and Strategic Communications, for his reaction to the findings, he did not respond to calls or text messages sent to him.
However, another aide to the governor, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised by his principal to speak on the matter, said, “That approval was made to assist those who had previously served the state well. The former governor and former deputy governors deserved it, in my opinion. There is nothing wrong with it.
“However, the allegation that the governor routinely makes such payments to them is not true. That was the only time the governor paid them, and it was done with the approval of the State Executive Council.”