The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to investigate the alleged embezzlement of over ₦57 billion from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021, as highlighted in the latest audited report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
In a letter dated November 23, 2024, and signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP raised concerns about the mismanagement of public funds, noting that similar issues affect other ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
The group alleged that hundreds of billions of naira remain unaccounted for across federal institutions.
SERAP emphasized that individuals implicated in the alleged theft should face prosecution if sufficient evidence exists and urged the recovery of all missing funds for remittance to the national treasury.
The organization also called on the president to allocate recovered funds toward reducing the 2025 budget deficit and addressing Nigeria’s rising debt crisis.
Additionally, it recommended imposing an immediate moratorium on government borrowing to alleviate the nation’s financial strain.
The letter read in part, “The allegations amount to stealing from the poor. There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these grave allegations.
“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.
“According to the 2021 annual audited report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, (the Ministry) in 2021 failed to account for over N54 billion meant to pay monthly stipends to Batch C1 N-Power volunteers and non-graduate trainees between August and December 2021. The money was ‘not directly paid to the beneficiaries.
“The Auditor-General is concerned that the money ‘may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered and remitted to the treasury. He also wants suspected perpetrators of the diversion to be sanctioned in line with the Financial Regulations.”