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Missing N57bn: SERAP sues Tinubu over alleged failure to probe Humanitarian Affairs ministry

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

 

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu over alleged failure to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN to work with appropriate to probe allegations that over N57 billion of public funds are missing from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021 alone.

The damning allegations are documented in the 2021 audited report released last month by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.

According to the Deputy Director of SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare, joined in the suit as respondent is Mr Fagbemi.

In the suit number FHC/L/MISC/876/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP is asking the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr Fagbemi to work with appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly probe allegations that over N57 billion of public funds are missing, diverted or stolen from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021.”

SERAP is also asking the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr Fagbemi to work with appropriate anticorruption agencies to prosecute anyone suspected to be responsible for the missing N57 billion, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and to recover any missing public funds.”

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “Investigating the allegations and prosecuting those suspected to be responsible for the missing N57 billion and recovering the missing funds would end the impunity of perpetrators.”

SERAP is also arguing that, “The allegations amount to stealing from the poor. There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these grave allegations.”

According to SERAP, “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].”

SERAP is also arguing that, “The consequences of corruption are felt by citizens on a daily basis. Corruption exposes them to additional costs to pay for health, education and administrative services.”

SERAP said, “The allegations also suggest a grave violation of the public trust, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the country’s anti corruption legislation and international anti corruption obligations.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Oluwadare and Ms Oluwakemi Agunbiade, read in part: “Granting the reliefs sought would go a long way in addressing corruption in ministries, departments and agencies [MDAs] and the country’s budget deficit and debt problems.”

“The damning revelations are documented in the 2021 audited report released recently by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation. Hundreds of billions of naira are also reportedly missing in other MDAs.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

Law & Crime

Niger State AG, Commissioner for Justice seeks collaboration with Police to end thuggery, Youth restiveness 

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AG,Commissioner for Justice in Niger State Barrister Nasiru Mua'zu,(left) CP Abudullahi Adamu Elleman(Right)

 

By Uthman Baba-Al-Naseer, Minna

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State Barrister Nasiru Mua’zu, has requested for a collaboration with the Niger State Police Command to bring an end to the activities of thuggery and youth restiveness in Minna the Niger State Capital.

He assured the Niger State, Command of his Ministry supports in ensuring that the increasing Proportion of youths restiveness and other security Challenges in the state are brought to an end.

The Attorney General who stated this while on a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of Police in Niger State, CP Abudullahi Adamu Elleman in his office Monday, noted that the office of the Attorney General is worried with the activities of ” these miscreants that have been making Minna the state capital inhabitable in recent times”

According to the Commissioner for Justice, members of the public also need to support relevant security agencies in the state with the needed information on the activities of these miscreants ” so that they can be taken away from the streets in the general interest of the citizens”

Adding, “As you all known police and other security forces as well as the courts cannot perform any magic neither they are magicians.

” Without Any vital information from the Public on the identity of these miscreants and their hideouts you cannot expect any magic from the security agencies. So all stakeholders must collaborate with the relevant security agencies to flush out these youths from our midsts” he asserted

Speaking further, Nasiru Mua’zu described as disturbing the undue interference of some prominent individuals and parents on the prosecution of their children involvement in criminality warning that full wrath of the law will be visited on such parents.

The Attorney General assured that the Judiciary will continue to leave up its constitutional mandate in ensuring the full Prosecution of the miscreants and appropriate punishment are mated on them if found guilty noting that unnecessary interference as the factor responsible for the effective Prosecution of the miscreants

Receiving the Attorney General, the Commissioner of Police CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, applauded the Commissioner for Justice for the visit and assure that the Command under his leadership will synergize with the office of the Attorney General in ensuring the speedy dispensation of Criminal Justice in the state.

He noted that the Police, as a critical stakeholders in the Criminal administration of Justice would continue to partner with the Ministry of Justice in making the state unsafe for Criminal minded elements in the state

CP Adamu Elleman requested the support of the office of the Attorney General for training and retraining of investigating Police Officers (IPO) this according to the Commissioner of Police will improve the capacity of the Police investigators for effective performance.

He told the Attorney General that legal department of the Command will be given the needed empowerment for effective Prosecution of cases and the legal department will be monitored to perform.

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Law & Crime

Minna Court remands six persons in Correctional Custody for alleged kidnapping 

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Judicial logo
By Uthman Baba-Al-Naseer, Minna
The Minna Chief Magistrate court Number one has ordered for the remand of six persons among them a married woman in correctional custody for alleged kidnapping.
Hajiya Ummulkhatum Mohammed the Presiding Chief Magistrate who gave the ordered for their remand held that her court lack the Jurisdiction to try kidnapping case,” even with their plea of guilty to the offence.
The Operatives of the Anti kidnapping squad of the Niger State Police Command arrested and charged them to the Chief Magistrate court on four count charges bothering on Conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.
According to the  Police First Information Report (FIR), marked MN/ CM/ CR/11/2025 the four count charges were punishable under section 3 (1),2 (2) of the kidnapping and cattle rustling law of Niger State 2016 and section 27 of the firearms  Act Cap 28 law of Niger state  2004.
The defendants include, Aisha Sani, Abuh Mohammed,Daudu Mohammed,Mamman Sani Shehu Arzika Laura and Jibrin Ahmadu all of Kwanar Sangir, Tunga Magajiya,Udu and Duggi village in Rijau local government area.
The Police Prosecutor Inspector Bello Mohammed Beji told the court that on the 10th, of March,2025, ” one Mallam Sarkin Noma Gata of Marrando village in Rijau local government area of Niger State reported  on the 5th,March 2025. He was  sleeping with his family with his  compound when unknown gunmen numbering six invaded his house, firing sporadically into the air and beat him until he became unconscious.
“But he managed to escape to the nearby house and his daughter Mai-Kyau Mallam, a 22 year old,was  also kidnapped to an unknown destination,”he told the court.
During Police investigation ,the Prosecutor further told the court that they all freely confessed to have conspired among themselves to have committed the crime.
” And also confessed that they demanded the ransom of Nine Million Naira. But they bargained to Five Million Naira”
They were rescued  by some group of hunters when they were to deliver the ransom in the  Ari Gida Bush in Rijau one of the victim Mai-Kyau was rescued.
When the charges were read to them by the Presiding Chief Magistrate Hajiya Ummulkhatum Mohammed,four them pleaded guilty of the offence while two others pleaded not guilty.
At this point the Presiding Chief Magistrate held that her court lack Jurisdiction to convict and sentence them ” is only High Court that has the Jurisdiction to convict and pass verdict on them”
She then told the prosecutor to hasten up and file the appropriate charges against them in the High court and she then ordered for their remand in Correctional Custody
Hajiya Ummulkhatum Mohammed adjougned the case to 6th of May, 2025 for further mention.
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Law & Crime

Falana, others raise the alarm over threat to Fawehinmi’s house in Lagos 

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Right Activist,Gani Fawehinmi
By Our Correspondent
Alarmed at the threat facing the family of of the late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi,Human rights advocates including Femi Falana; Executive Director, International Press Centre (IPC), Lanre Arogundade; Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Edetaen Ojo and others have lamented the imminent danger facing the family of the late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi.
Speaking to journalists on behalf of the team, Falana said, Gani’s family members are being threatened by a developer that erected a four-storey hotel right by the fence protecting the front part of Chief’s house within Ikeja GRA.
Falana said, “An individual or group of individuals, either acting in utter contempt of the rules and regulations guiding property development in Lagos State or acting in connivance with unscrupulous government officials, have decided to erect a four-storey hotel right by the fence protecting the front part of Fawehinmi’s house in Ikeja GRA.
“So brazen were the dare-devil builders or developers that they ignored family warnings and chose to build their structure almost on top of Fawehinmi’s fence. It is possible that they believe they are above the law. Or perhaps, they bear some grudge against him and his family and therefore do not see anything wrong in their brazen act of recklessness and injustice.
“But, whoever they think they are and whatever their motive, our stance is that this injustice should not, cannot and must not be allowed to stand.”
Falana noted that besides the fence protecting Fawehinmi’s house facing imminent collapse, a 1000-litre capacity water tank installed right on top of the 4-storey structure has thrice collapsed and fallen into Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s compound.
“We are fortunate that no one has so far been hurt or killed as a result of these incidents. But these repeated incidents themselves show without doubt how dangerously close this structure is to Fawehinmi’s house.
“We do not want to wait until any such catastrophe occurs before taking action. We have, therefore, chosen to speak out now before deadlier incidents occur,” he added.
The group demanded that the building should be pulled down, alleging that the construction violates Lagos State urban development and building regulations, particularly with regards to the mandatory setback requirement of at least three-meter space in-between buildings.
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