Probe alleged missing N57bn in humanitarian affairs ministry, punish offenders – SERAP to Tinubu

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has urged President Bola Tinubu to probe the alleged theft of over N57 billion from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021.

SERAP made this call in a letter dated 23 November 2024, signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.

It also said that hundreds of billions of naira were reportedly missing from other ministries, departments, agencies, and MDAs.

The organization called on the president to mandate the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, alongside relevant anti-corruption agencies, to holistically investigate the allegations.

The claims are detailed in the 2021 audited report recently released by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.

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According to SERAP, anyone suspected to be responsible should face prosecution as appropriate, if there is sufficient admissible evidence and any missing public funds should be fully recovered and remitted to the treasury.

It further urged the president to utilise any recovered funds to address the deficit in the 2025 budget and impose an immediate moratorium on government borrowing to alleviate Nigeria’s mounting debt crisis.

The letter read in part, “The allegations amount to stealing from the poor. There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these grave allegations.

“Poor Nigerians have continued to pay the price for the widespread and grand corruption in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviations and other ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs.

“According to the 2021 annual audited report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, (the Ministry) in 2021 failed to account for over N54 billion meant to pay monthly stipends to Batch C1 N-Power volunteers and non-graduate trainees between August and December 2021. The money was ‘not directly paid to the beneficiaries.

“The Auditor-General is concerned that the money ‘may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered and remitted to the treasury. He also wants suspected perpetrators of the diversion to be sanctioned in line with the Financial Regulations.”