Reps Order CBN, Banks To Appear In Agricultural Intervention Probe

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating Agricultural Subsidies, Intervention Funds, Aids and Grants Programmes from 2015 to 2025 has threatened to compel the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), NIRSAL Microfinance Bank and other institutions to appear before it over what it described as repeated disregard for parliamentary invitations.

At a hearing in Abuja at the National Assembly, the Chairman of the committee, Jamo Aminu, directed the CBN, NIRSAL Microfinance Bank, SunTrust Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank and the National Bureau of Statistics to attend unfailingly, warning that continued non-compliance would lead to the invocation of constitutional provisions to enforce their appearance.

Mr Aminu said several agencies and financial institutions had failed to honour invitations despite multiple notices.

“It is disheartening that despite repeated invitations from the House of Representatives, some agencies have refused to appear or have outrightly ignored this investigative process,” Aminu said.

The panel is probing trillions of naira spent on agricultural intervention programmes implemented by the Federal Government and the CBN between 2015 and September 2025. The schemes under review include the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, ABP, the Agribusiness/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme, AGSMEIS, the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme, AADS and the Nigerian Electricity Stabilisation Fund, NESF.

The committee also faulted Jaiz Bank, Unity Bank, Sterling Bank and Access Bank for submitting incomplete documentation and ordered their chief executives or appropriate heads to appear in person within one week with comprehensive records.

Speaker of the House, Dr Tajudeen Abbas, who was represented by Sunday Umeha, pledged full support for the investigation, warning that no institution would be shielded from legislative oversight.

“There can be no national security without food security,” Abbas said.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji