SERAP Urges Tinubu to Investigate Alleged Missing N57bn

SERAP Urges Tinubu to Investigate Alleged Missing N57bn in Humanitarian Affairs Ministry.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to instruct the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, along with relevant anti-corruption agencies, to investigate the alleged misappropriation or theft of over N57 billion in public funds by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021.

In its statement, SERAP highlighted that the 2021 audited report released by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation uncovered disturbing revelations of missing funds across various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). These findings suggest that significant public resources may have been diverted for improper purposes, and SERAP has demanded that any implicated individuals be prosecuted if sufficient evidence is found, with all missing funds fully recovered and returned to the treasury.

The report from the Auditor-General pointed out that the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation failed to account for over N54 billion intended to pay stipends to Batch C1 N-Power volunteers and non-graduate trainees between August and December 2021. The funds were reportedly not paid directly to the intended beneficiaries, raising concerns that they may have been misappropriated.

Further discrepancies included the unaccounted N2.6 billion meant for the homegrown school feeding program during the Covid-19 pandemic, which was reportedly disbursed to contractors for the procurement and distribution of palliatives in several states but was never executed. The Auditor-General also flagged the unapproved expenditure of N78 million for a survey on the Ministry’s Covid-19 response, as well as N39.5 million paid directly to the Minister for personal donations, which lacked proper documentation.

Additionally, the Ministry reportedly mismanaged N400 million earmarked for paying stipends to independent monitors and failed to justify payments of over N287 million to contractors. The Auditor-General expressed concerns that these funds might have been misappropriated and recommended that they be recovered and returned to the treasury.

SERAP’s letter, dated November 23, 2024, urges the President to take immediate action to address these allegations and suggested that recovered funds be used to cover the budget deficit for 2025. The organization also called for a moratorium on further borrowing to help alleviate Nigeria’s growing debt crisis. It warned that failure to act would lead SERAP to pursue legal actions to compel the government to act in the public’s interest.

The letter emphasized the broader implications of these allegations, describing them as a betrayal of public trust and a violation of both national and international anti-corruption laws. SERAP further stressed that combating corruption in Nigeria’s MDAs is essential for addressing the country’s budget deficit and debt challenges.

SERAP also urged the President to enforce a Federal High Court ruling ordering the government to release details of N729 billion spent under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. The organization stressed that such investigations and prosecutions could help restore public trust and advance efforts to combat corruption.

The letter concluded with a reminder of Nigeria’s constitutional obligations to protect public wealth and promote social justice, urging the government to take firm action against corruption in line with national laws and international agreements, such as the UN and African Union anti-corruption conventions.