By Abiola Olawale
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has taken a step of filing a lawsuit against the federal government, over alleged refusal or failure to undertake some investigations.
SERAP said the legal action comes in response to the alleged failure to thoroughly investigate lingering accusations surrounding the reported cases of misappropriation , diversion, or theft of about N57 billion of public funds from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, that reportedly occurred in the year 2021 alone.
The organisation, in the lawsuit filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos State, also accused the President of not directing the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to work with appropriate anti-corruption agencies to probe the allegations at the Ministry in question.
According to SERAP, 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 number FHC/L/MISC/876/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP is asking the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr 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 Mr Fagbemi to work with appropriate anticorruption 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.”
SERAP 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 daily. Corruption exposes them to additional costs to pay for health, education and administrative services.”
SERAP said, “The allegations also suggest a grave violation of the public trust, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the country’s anticorruption legislation and international anticorruption obligations.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Oluwakemi Agunbiade, read in part: “Granting the reliefs sought would go a long way in addressing corruption in ministries, departments and agencies [MDAs] and the country’s budget deficit and debt problems.”
