Court orders Buhari’s Minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouq to account for N729bn payments to poor Nigerians

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, to provide an account of payments totaling N729 billion made to 24.3 million poor Nigerians over a six-month period.

The court also mandated the former minister to furnish a detailed list of the beneficiaries, including the number of states covered and the payments made per state.

The judgment, delivered in June by Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu, followed a Freedom of Information lawsuit, case number FHC/L/CS/853/2021, filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). SERAP obtained a certified true copy of the judgment last Friday.

In his ruling, Justice Dipeolu emphasized that the former minister is obligated under the Freedom of Information Act to provide information to any requester, including SERAP. He therefore issued an order of mandamus, compelling the minister to disclose the spending details of N729 billion distributed to 24.3 million poor Nigerians in 2021.

Justice Dipeolu instructed the minister to provide SERAP with information on the selection process of the beneficiaries and the payment mechanisms used. The judge also demanded an explanation for the distribution of N5,000 to each of the 24.3 million poor Nigerians, which constitutes five percent of Nigeria’s 2021 budget of N13.6 trillion.

The court found that the minister had failed to justify her refusal to disclose the requested details. SERAP had cited relevant sections of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 that the minister had violated and sought an order of mandamus to compel the minister to provide the information. Justice Dipeolu dismissed the minister’s counsel’s objections and upheld SERAP’s arguments, ruling in favor of SERAP.

Following the judgment, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, praised the ruling as a victory for transparency and accountability in public spending. Oluwadare highlighted the necessity for the Tinubu administration to address systemic corruption in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and other government entities, as documented by the Auditor-General of the Federation.

In a letter dated July 6, 2024, addressed to President Bola Tinubu and signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP urged the President to direct the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Attorney General of the Federation to comply with the court’s ruling. The letter called for the immediate release of the spending details of the N729 billion as ordered by the court.

SERAP emphasized that adhering to the court’s judgment would demonstrate the government’s commitment to the rule of law, transparency, and accountability in managing public resources.