The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to mandate the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate the spending of the billions of naira of Ecological Fund collected by Borno State since 2001, including the N816 million collected by the state between January 2024 and June 2024.
According to SERAP, “Suspected perpetrators of allegations of corruption and mismanagement of ecological funds should face prosecution as appropriate, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and any proceeds of corruption should be fully recovered.
The group equally urged the president to direct the AGF and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to identify and ensure access to justice and effective remedies for affected victims in Borno state.
In a statement issued by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP further tasked President Tinubu to order the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to work with appropriate anti-corruption agencies to track and monitor the spending of Ecological Fund by the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, 36 state governors, the 774 local government areas, as well as all emergency management agencies across the country funded through the Ecological Fund.
Referring to its letter dated September 21, 2024, the human rights organization stated “Your government has a legal obligation to address the prevalence of flooding across the country and its effect on people and to ensure that the money meant to stop the floods is not lost to corruption.
“There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice for the victims of Borno’s flood victims, and accountability for the spending of the monthly ecological funds collected by the state through the Federal Account Allocation Committee [FAAC].
“Although ecological funds are shared across the three tiers of government, and emergency management agencies, the funds are managed and supervised by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.”
While noting that the devastation in Borno highlights the government’s obligation to promote and ensure transparency and accountability in the spending of ecological funds by all tiers of government and emergency management agencies, SERAP insisted that Borno State receives millions of naira monthly through the Federal Allocation Committee as shares from the Ecological Fund.
“Other states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, also monthly receive funds from the Ecological Fund.
“According to reports, trillions of naira have over the years been budgeted through the Ecological Fund to tackle floods and other ecological problems.
“SERAP is concerned that the ecological funds collected by Borno state over the years may have been diverted, mismanaged, or unaccounted.
“SERAP is also concerned about reports that the funds released to the states for ecological projects are characterised by mismanagement, diversion of funds, substandard and abandoned projects fully paid for.
“Ecological funds have also been allegedly spent for other purposes such as election campaigns and political patronage.
“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,” the group added.