SERAP Files Suit Against Buhari
The rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari.
This was contained in a statement issued by the group’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, on Sunday. According to the group, the suit is about “his failure to probe allegations that over N3bn of public funds are missing from the Federal Ministry of Finance, and to ensure the prosecution of those suspected to be responsible and the recovery of any missing public funds”.
Oluwadare noted that there had been allegations by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation in the 2018 and 2019 annual audited reports that N3.1bn of public funds are missing, misappropriated, or unaccounted for.
In the suit which SERAP filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, with number FHC/L/CS/148/22, the group seeks: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel President Buhari to ensure the investigation of the alleged missing N3.1bn of public funds, the prosecution of anyone suspected to be responsible, and the recovery of any missing public money”.
It contended that “the allegations that over N3bn of public funds are missing amount to a fundamental breach of national anticorruption laws and the country’s international obligations including under the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party”.
“Investigating and prosecuting the allegations and recovering any missing public funds would serve the public interest and end the impunity of perpetrators.
“The consequences of corruption are felt by citizens on a daily basis. Corruption exposes them to additional costs and undermines the economic development of the country, trapping the majority of Nigerians in poverty and depriving them of opportunities,” the statement added.
Other respondents in the suit are the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.
However, a date is yet to be fixed for the hearing of the suit.
