President Bola Tinubu is being sued by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) for failing to look into claims that more than ₦57 billion went missing from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021.
The Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation’s audit report, which revealed serious financial irregularities within the ministry, prompted SERAP to take legal action.
Over ₦54 billion that was supposed to be used for stipends to N-Power volunteers between August and December 2021 was missing, according to the study, and there are worries that this money may have been misappropriated.
The audit also found that ₦2.6 billion that had been set out for the COVID-19 homegrown school feeding program could not be traced because it was allegedly never implemented.
Additional financial violations include the absence of ₦400 million from stipends intended for independent monitors and the expenditure of ₦78 million on an unapproved survey pertaining to the ministry’s COVID-19 response.
According to SERAP, these claims constitute a grave betrayal of public confidence and a contravention of Nigeria’s anti-corruption legislation.
In addition to recovering the lost funds, the group is requesting a court order compelling President Tinubu to instruct the Attorney General and pertinent anti-corruption institutions to look into and prosecute individuals involved.
