N585.2m scandal: SERAP urges Tinubu to probe Beta Edu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been urged by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to order the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the relevant anti-corruption agencies to promptly and thoroughly investigate the alleged payment of N585.2 million into a private account by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, intended for distribution to vulnerable people in the states of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos, and Ogun.

Additionally, SERAP pleaded with him to “direct Mr. Fagbemi and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to identify and publish the names of anyone who may have received the money, and to promptly and thoroughly investigate whether the N585.2 million has been paid into any private account.”

In the letter dated 6 January 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Paying public funds into private accounts may create the perception or appearance of impropriety and give cover to any potential wrongdoing or diversion.”

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The letter read in part: “The public interests in safeguarding against the perception or appearance of impropriety or corruption also require your government to remove the opportunity for abuse inherent in the payment of public funds into private accounts.

“The persistent lack of transparency and accountability in the spending of public funds meant to take care of the poor raises issues of public trust, makes the funds vulnerable to corruption or mismanagement, and undermines the integrity of poverty intervention programmes.

“Your government has a legal obligation to probe and prosecute allegations of abuse of office and corruption in the spending of public funds meant to improve the conditions of vulnerable Nigerians.

“Any risks of corruption in the spending of public funds meant to take care of the poor would erode the effectiveness of the government’s oft-repeated commitment to address the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy on vulnerable Nigerians.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.

“Any failure to investigate these grave allegations, bring suspected perpetrators to justice and recover any diverted public funds would undermine the integrity of the government’s poverty intervention programmes”.