News
SERAP drags Buhari, others to Court over ‘missing N106 billion in 149 MDAs’
President Muhammadu Buhari has been dragged to Court by the
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) “over his failure to probe allegations that N106 billion of public funds are missing from 149 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
SERAP wants those responsible prosecuted and any missing public funds recovered.
The suit followed the grim allegations by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation in his 2018 annual audited report that N105,662,350,077.46 of public funds are missing, misappropriated or unaccounted for across 149 MDAs.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/903/2021 filed last week at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel President Buhari to promptly investigate the alleged missing N106 billion of public funds, ensure prosecution of anyone suspected to be responsible, and the full recovery of any missing public money.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “Recovering the alleged missing public funds would reduce the pressure on the Federal Government to borrow more money to fund the budget, enable the authorities to meet the country’s constitutional and international obligations, and reduce the growing level of public debts.”
According to SERAP: “Directing and compelling President Buhari to ensure the investigation and prosecution of the alleged grand corruption documented by the Auditor-General would be entirely consistent with the government’s own commitment to fight corruption, improve the integrity of MDAs, and serve the public interest.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “The alleged missing public funds have hampered the ability of the indicted MDAs to meet the needs of average citizens, as the missing funds could have helped the government to invest in key public goods and services, and to improve access of Nigerians to these goods and services.
Joined in the suit as Respondents are Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation; and Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning.
SERAP is arguing that, “It is in the interest of justice to grant this application, as it would improve respect for the rights of Nigerians, and improve their access to essential public goods and services. The suit is in keeping with the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended]; anti-corruption legislation, and the country’s international obligations including under the UN Convention against Corruption; and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.”
SERAP is also seeking an order to compel the president “to publish full details of the yearly budgets of all MDAs, and issue regular updates that detail their expenditures, including by making any such information easily accessible in a form that can be understood by the public.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Joke Fekumo, read in part: “The failure to investigate the allegations of grand corruption in the 2018 annual audited report constitutes a grave violation of the duty placed on the Nigerian government to take appropriate measures to promote transparency and accountability in the management of public finances.”
“President Buhari’s constitutional responsibility to ensure the investigation and prosecution of allegations of corruption, as well as recovery of any missing public funds is contained in Section 15[5] of the Nigerian Constitution, which provides that ‘the State shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power’, and in the Oath of Office in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.”
“The Oath of Office of the President is considered of such importance that section 140 of the 1999 Constitution provides that the President cannot perform his or her respective official functions as President without taking the oath of office.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
The Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters(Senate), Sen. Basheer Lado, CON, has felicitated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on his 73rd Birthday Anniversary.
Lado in a congratulatory message on Friday in Abuja, described the President as a selfless leader and one who had sacrificed so much for the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.
He said, “today, we celebrate not just the birth of a man, but the rise of a legacy.
“We celebrate not just the years in your life, but the life in your years.
“We celebrate not just the path you’ve walked, but the footprints you’ve left behind.”
The Special Adviser said the President’s life was a testament to the power of courage, resilience, and faith in the promise of the Nigerian nation.
He commended the ‘President’s determination as well as his relentless effort in ensuring adequate security, economic growth and political stability in the country.
According to Him, President Tinubu’s doggedness and passion for good governance has set Nigeria on a high pedestal in the comity of nations.
“You dreamed when others doubted, you sacrificed when others conformed, and you led when others retreated.
“On this special day, I proudly join millions across Nigeria and the world to salute your strength and celebrate your service,”he said.
Lado prayed for divine wisdom as the President continued to steer the ship of the nation toward renewed hope and greatness.
He further prayed that the glory of the President’s latter years would surpass his achievements in the past.
The Nigerian Council of Legal Education, the academic institute training lawyers before mobilizing for Call to the Bar said, the 2024 Bar Part results would be release any time soon.
The assurance came amid tension by the students who wrote the examination in November and are awaiting release of the results to determine if they have cleared or have to resit papers.
In a memo released and signed by the School management on Friday 28th March, 2025, the attention of candidates and the public was drawn to the fact that the Council has been working on the results and has progressed into a phase where the results will be released soon.
Part of the memo sighted by CAPITAL POST in Abuja said: Candidates who wrote the November 2024 Bar Final Examinations and the general public are hereby notified that the conventional processes leading to the publication of the results after approval by the Council of Legal Education are almost concluded.
“Candidates and the general public are assured that the results will be released shortly.
“The date for the Call to the Bar will be announced as soon as it is approved by the honourable Body of Benchers”, it concluded.
The Northern Senators Forum has expressed its sadness over the lynching of travelers in Uromi, Edo State, saying that they were taken aback over the gruesome killing of innocent Nigerians because of the zone where the victims came from.
The Forum was reacting to the attack that led to death of individuals on 27th March, 2025 while travelling to the Northern part of the country after they were tragically stereotyped as Fulani kidnappers and brutally murdered in a despicable manner.
The Forum in a statement issued by its Chairman, Abdulaziz Yar’adua strongly condemn the killing and described it as a heinous act which must be investigated with the culprits brought to book.
It read: “We strongly condemn this heinous act, which is a clear violation of the fundamental human rights of the victims. We urge the Edo State Government to take immediate action to identify and prosecute the perpetrators of this gruesome murder.
“We commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for directing the police and other security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident, with a view to arresting the culprits.
“This swift action demonstrates the government’s commitment to upholding justice and protecting the rights of all citizens.
“As stated in Section 41 of the Nigerian Constitution, every citizen has the right to freedom of movement and residence throughout the country. No citizen can be expelled from or refused entry into Nigeria. We must uphold these fundamental principles and ensure that all citizens are treated with dignity and respect.
“We call on the Edo State Government, the security agencies, and all stakeholders to work together to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. We must promote a culture of tolerance, understanding, and peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians.”
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