A whopping N10.2 billion is allegedly missing from the accounts of some Nigerian missions abroad and the Finance Committee of the House of Representatives which made the discovery has insisted that the money must be found by the Foreign Affairs Ministry and paid into the federation account.

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Chairman of the Committee probing the non-remittance of revenue into the federation account by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA), Hon John Enoh told officials of the ministry that it was not acceptable to pay only N1,354,048,233.09 from N11,554,672,380.45 that was generated in the year under review.

Enoh expressed shock that the amount generated as revenues from visa fees and consular services was not remitted as it should be, adding that should the ministry fail to refund the money, the president would be informed accordingly.

“We have noted a systematic way of covering up the excesses without genuine reasons. If the amount is paid back to the government, it could be used in other areas.

“The money that the foreign missions spend is always captured in the budget and they should be responsible enough to pay into the federation account.

“They have just paid less than 10 per cent of all they earned within the period. It could be more, ” he said.

According to the summary of revenue remitted between January 2003 to May 2008, made available to the committee by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. B.K Kaigama, the House discovered that missions in 69 countries did not remit a kobo the federation account.

The missions included Abidjan, Abu Dhabi, Algiers, Amman, Bangkok, Bangui, Banjul, Bata and Beijing.

But Nigeria’s Embassy in the United States has the highest figure of N1,143,423,48175 (for New York) and N382,734,815.79 million followed by Nigeria’s High Commission in London that paid £488,302,276.00 million leaving a balance of £804,806,922.48 million.