The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a suit against President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of neglecting to direct the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to investigate allegations of over N57 billion in missing, diverted, or stolen public funds from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021.
The lawsuit follows the release of a 2021 audited report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, which uncovered the serious financial discrepancies.
The report, issued last month, detailed the unaccounted-for funds, raising concerns over widespread corruption within the ministry.
Joined in the suit is Mr. Fagbemi, who SERAP claims should work with anti-corruption agencies to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the alleged misappropriation of funds.
Filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos under suit number FHC/L/MISC/876/2024, SERAP seeks to compel President Tinubu to instruct Mr. Fagbemi to collaborate with appropriate agencies to investigate the missing N57 billion, and to ensure that any responsible individuals are prosecuted and any stolen funds are recovered.
In the court filing, SERAP argues that investigating and prosecuting those involved would help curb impunity and restore justice, especially given the impact of such corruption on Nigeria’s poorest citizens.
The organization emphasizes that these funds should have been used to alleviate poverty and support vulnerable groups, but instead, they were allegedly diverted.
SERAP also argues that the situation reflects a broader issue of corruption within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as other ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), which have reportedly been involved in similar financial mismanagement.
According to SERAP, the long-term effects of this corruption are borne by citizens, who face higher costs for essential services like health, education, and public administration due to the misallocation of public funds.
The group also pointed to several other troubling allegations from the 2021 audit, including:
Over N54 billion meant for the N-Power programme (for volunteers and trainees) was not paid to beneficiaries as intended.
N2.6 billion allocated for the ‘home-grown school feeding programme during Covid-19’ was reportedly diverted, as the program was never executed.
N78 million was spent on a survey of the Ministry’s Covid-19 response, but without proper approval or documentation.
N39.5 million in personal donations was reportedly paid to the minister without accountability.
N400 million meant for stipends to independent monitors was unaccounted for.
N287 million was paid to contractors without documentation or justification.
The allegations highlight the ministry’s failure to properly account for and use allocated funds, prompting the Auditor-General’s office to call for the recovery of these missing amounts and the sanctioning of those involved.
SERAP also draws attention to the constitutional and international obligations that the Nigerian government has to combat corruption, noting that Article 26 of the UN Convention against Corruption requires effective sanctions against grand corruption.
By seeking judicial intervention, SERAP hopes to hold the government accountable and ensure that the alleged stolen funds are returned to the public treasury, to address the systemic corruption plaguing Nigeria’s MDAs.
The court has yet to set a date for the hearing of the suit.
