Anambra State recorded just 22.8 per cent of its 2026 revenue target in six months while spending N13.79 billion on security following a spate of killings, kidnappings, cult violence and attacks across the state.
The Anambra State Government, led by Governor Charles Soludo, recorded a 22.8 per cent revenue performance in the first half of 2026, generating ₦174.54 billion against the ₦766.37 billion projected in its annual budget.
The report showed that the state government’s revenue for the period comprised ₦5.36 billion carried over as opening balance from 2025, ₦124.24 billion received as its share of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) revenue and ₦44.94 billion generated internally.
No revenue was recorded from grants, aids or loans during the period.
The weak revenue inflow coincided with a low overall budget implementation, with the state recording ₦143.63 billion in total expenditure in the first six months, representing 18.7 per cent of the ₦766.37 billion annual budget.
Of the amount spent, ₦40.79 billion went to recurrent expenditure, while ₦102.84 billion went to capital projects.
Anambra’s 2026 budget is one of the largest in the South-east, with the state planning to spend ₦766.37 billion during the year.
An analysis of the capital expenditure in the report showed that the Ministry of Works accounted for the largest share of spending, with ₦79.02 billion released during the period.
The Ministry of Health followed it with ₦10.53 billion.
The Office of the Governor received ₦4.44 billion, while the Ministry of Education received ₦2.52 billion.
The Office of the Secretary to the State Government ranked fifth, with N1.46 billion released.
The spending pattern shows a heavy concentration of the state’s capital expenditure on physical infrastructure and health, with the Ministry of Works alone accounting for a substantial share of the ₦102.84 billion recorded in the first six months.
However, some sectors recorded no capital releases during the period.
The Ministry of Agriculture, despite having a ₦1.95 billion capital provision in the 2026 budget, recorded no capital release in the first half of the year, according to the report.
The state government released ₦13.79 billion for security-related expenditure during the period.
The largest component was the security vote, including operations, with ₦13.40 billion released against a budgeted ₦20.80 billion, representing a 64.4 per cent performance.
Another ₦392.37 million was released for security services, out of a budget provision of ₦689.55 million, representing 56.9 per cent performance.
The expenditure followed continuing security challenges across the state, including killings, cult-related violence, kidnapping, armed robbery and attacks linked to criminal and separatist groups.
In January, the police reported a gun battle with a five-person gang suspected of being armed robbers, cultists and persons connected to a proscribed secessionist group at Enugwu-Agidi Junction in Dunukofia Local Government Area. Two suspects were killed, and weapons and ammunition were recovered.
The same month, police also investigated cases involving alleged child trafficking and kidnapping after rescuing children from a compound in Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area.
In February, gunmen killed the President-General of Ogidi community, Ikwuka Okoye, and another person in an attack which police said is related to the aftermath of the killing of a suspected cult leader by local security operatives.
The month also saw police investigations into kidnapping, armed robbery and cult-related crimes in Awka and its environs, including a case in which a bank account was allegedly used to receive ₦1 million ransom.
In March, police arrested suspected armed robbers and cultists in Ogidi and recovered firearms, ammunition and a stolen petrol tanker. Police also investigated a separate case involving a staged kidnapping in which the suspects allegedly collected ₦240,000 from the victim’s parents.
In April, suspected cultists reportedly hacked a man to death in Nnobi, Idemili South Local Government Area. Police, in April, rescued an electrician who had allegedly been kidnapped after being lured with a job offer and arrested three suspected kidnappers in the same area.
The security concerns persisted into May. Police arrested a 22-year-old suspected cultist in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area, whom the command alleged was involved in killings and kidnapping. The suspect allegedly confessed to killing five people.
The police also raided a suspected secessionist camp in Owerre-Ezukala, Orumba South Local Government Area, recovering sophisticated weapons and ammunition.
In June, four gunmen were killed during a joint security operation along the Ogboji-Ajalli Road in Orumba South, with police reporting the recovery of weapons, ammunition and explosive devices.
The security situation was sufficiently concerning for the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to call on Anambra residents in June to stop shielding kidnappers, cultists and other criminals and to provide timely intelligence to security agencies.
PREMIUM TIMES also reported an attempted abduction of newborn babies at a private hospital in Awada, Idemili North, in June, after a woman allegedly gained access to the maternity ward while disguised as a nurse. Police said the incident was being investigated as a suspected child-trafficking case.
The European Union Agency for Asylum’s assessment of Anambra identifies cultism, armed robbery, killings and kidnapping among the state’s major security concerns, while noting attacks by gunmen targeting security forces and vigilantes.
