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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged President Bola Tinubu before the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly failing to order the probe of ₦57 billion allegedly stolen from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021.
SERAP is specifically asking the court to compel Tinubu to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) to work with appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly investigate the alleged missing public funds.
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The organisation is also praying the court, in the suit which is yet to be assigned to a judge, to compel the President to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation to collaborate with appropriate anti-graft agencies to prosecute anyone suspected of being responsible for the missing N57 billion if sufficient admissible evidence is available, and to recover any missing public funds.
In an affidavit attached to the suit, SERAP averred that if the government should investigate the allegations and prosecute those suspected of being responsible, as well as recovering the missing funds, it would help to end the impunity of perpetrators.
The civil society organisation further argues that the allegations represent theft from the poor, and there is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these serious accusations.
The plaintiff noted that low-income Nigerians continue to bear the burden of widespread and grand corruption in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and other ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
SERAP emphasised that, “The consequences of corruption are felt by citizens daily. Corruption forces them to incur additional costs for health, education, and administrative services.”
SERAP also stated that the allegations indicate a serious breach of public trust, contravening the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the country’s anti-corruption laws, and international anti-corruption obligations.
