Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the alleged diversion of N33.75 billion earmarked for cash transfers to poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
Falana, in a statement on Sunday, urged the EFCC to work with the Auditor-General for the Federation, Shaakaa Chira, to recover the funds and prosecute public officials found culpable.
His call followed the Auditor-General’s disclosure that the Federal Government could not provide sufficient evidence that the money reached genuine beneficiaries among more than 3.29 million vulnerable households.
The disclosure was contained in the Auditor-General’s 2024 Annual Report on Non-Compliance/Internal Control Weaknesses in Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Falana said the revelation raised serious concerns over the management of funds intended to alleviate poverty, urging the EFCC to immediately investigate the alleged diversion.
The lawyer also called for the conclusion of investigations involving former Humanitarian Affairs Minister Sadiya Farouq and former National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) chief executive, Halima Shehu.
He recalled that Farouq had been investigated over alleged money laundering involving more than N37.1 billion, while Shehu was suspended and questioned over alleged suspicious movement of funds.
Falana further urged the government to strengthen oversight of the $3.05 billion development package unveiled by President Bola Tinubu in July 2026, saying it must not suffer the alleged abuses associated with previous social investment programmes.
He proposed an independent mechanism involving credible civil society organisations to oversee disbursement to intended beneficiaries.
The senior lawyer said the latest Auditor-General’s finding showed that despite measures such as linking beneficiaries’ profiles to their Bank Verification Numbers and National Identification Numbers, significant accountability gaps remained.
He urged authorities to establish whether the failure to account for the N33.75 billion resulted from administrative weaknesses, fraud or criminal diversion.
