Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu over the failure to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, to work with appropriate anti-corruption agencies to probe allegations that over N57 billion of public funds are missing.
The amounts were allegedly diverted, or stolen, from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021 alone. The damning allegations are documented in the 2021 audited report released last month by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
In the suit, filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos last Friday, on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms. Oluwakemi Agunbiade, SERAP is asking the court to compel President Tinubu to direct AGF Fagbemi to work with appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly probe allegations that over N57 billion of public funds are missing, diverted or stolen from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021.
SERAP is also asking the court to compel President Tinubu to direct AGF Fagbemi to work with appropriate anti-corruption agencies to prosecute anyone suspected to be responsible for the missing N57 billion, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and to recover any missing public funds.
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: Investigating the allegations and prosecuting those suspected to be responsible for the missing N57 billion and recovering the missing funds would end the impunity of perpetrators. It is also arguing that, The allegations amount to stealing from the poor. There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these grave allegations.
According to SERAP, 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).
SERAP is also arguing that, The consequences of corruption are felt by citizens on a daily basis. Corruption exposes them to additional costs to pay for health, education and administrative services. The allegations also suggest a grave violation of the public trust, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the countrys anticorruption legislation and international anti-corruption obligations.
According to the statement: Granting the reliefs sought would go a long way in addressing corruption in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and the countrys budget deficit and debt problems. Investigating these allegations and prosecuting suspected perpetrators would advance the right of Nigerians to restitution, compensation and guarantee of non-repetition.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
