Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari over “the failure to probe the spending of trillions of ecological funds by governments at all levels—federal, State and local governments from 2001 to date.
Joined in the suit as Respondents are the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha.
Recall that the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) recently stated that no fewer than 600 persons died and 1.3 million rendered homeless as a result of the floods that ravaged most States across the country, with destruction of properties worth billions.
In the suit, filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP is also asking the court to “direct and compel President Buhari to ensure that suspected perpetrators of corruption and mismanagement of trillions of ecological funds are promptly brought to justice, and any missing public funds fully recovered”.
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that, “the failure to probe the alleged missing trillions, prosecute suspected perpetrators and recover any missing public funds is a fundamental breach of constitutional and international legal obligations.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “impunity for corruption in the management of Ecological Fund will continue as long as high-ranking public officials go largely unpunished for their alleged crimes”.
“Nigerians have the right to know how the public funds budgeted to address ecological challenges are spent. Publishing the details of allocations of the Ecological Fund since 2001 would promote transparency, accountability, and reduce the risks of corruption in the spending of the funds”, it stated.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
