Livestock Ministry Debunks ₦140m Palace, Mosque Budget Claim

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has dismissed as false and misleading reports claiming it allocated ₦140 million in its 2026 budget for the rehabilitation of Emir Palaces and Mosques in Kaduna State, alongside other unrelated projects.

The clarification was contained in a statement issued by the Ministry’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Henrietta Okokon, and made available to journalists in Abuja. The Ministry stressed that the controversial budget items are not part of its headquarters’ 2026 budget.
According to the statement, the allocations being referenced belong to the budget of the Federal College of Veterinary and Medical Laboratory Technology, Vom, Plateau State, a self-accounting institution with its own separate budgetary provisions. It added that several other unrelated projects in the College’s budget had also been wrongly attributed to the Ministry, creating the false impression that the Ministry funded projects outside its mandate.
The Ministry urged the public, media organisations and other stakeholders to distinguish between its budget and those of its agencies before drawing conclusions or publishing reports. It reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources, while pledging to strengthen coordination with its agencies to ensure future budget proposals align with institutional mandates and are clearly communicated. The Ministry also encouraged journalists and media houses to verify information with relevant government sources before publication to prevent the spread of misinformation.