The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu for allegedly failing to instruct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to collaborate with anti-corruption agencies in investigating the alleged mismanagement, diversion, or theft of over ₦57 billion in public funds from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021.

The allegations are based on the 2021 audit report from the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, which uncovered significant financial irregularities.

The suit, filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos (suit number FHC/L/MISC/876/2024), lists Fagbemi as a respondent.

SERAP is asking the court to compel President Tinubu to direct Fagbemi to launch an investigation into the alleged misuse of funds, prosecute those found responsible, and recover the missing money where evidence permits.

SERAP stressed the importance of accountability, stating, “Investigating and prosecuting those responsible for the missing ₦57 billion, and recovering the funds, would end the impunity of perpetrators.” The organization described the alleged misconduct as “stealing from the poor” and highlighted the public interest in ensuring justice.

The 2021 audit report revealed multiple cases of financial mismanagement within the ministry, including:

• Over ₦54 billion allocated for stipends to Batch C1 N-Power volunteers between August and December 2021, reportedly unaccounted for, as payments were not made directly to beneficiaries.
• Over ₦2.6 billion allocated for the “home-grown school feeding program during Covid-19,” allegedly unspent, with the program reportedly not implemented.
• ₦78 million earmarked for a Covid-19 response survey, ₦39.5 million for “personal donations,” and ₦400 million for stipends to independent monitors, all flagged as missing or mismanaged.

Other flagged funds include ₦287 million paid to contractors without documentation and discrepancies involving ₦729 billion, currently under judicial review.

SERAP’s legal team, Kolawole Oluwadare and Oluwakemi Agunbiade, argued that granting their reliefs would significantly curb corruption in ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), while addressing Nigeria’s budget deficit and debt issues.

The group cited constitutional and international anti-corruption obligations, urging the government to act to ensure accountability, restitution, and justice for Nigerians impacted by the misuse of public funds.

According to reports, no hearing date has been set for the case.