The Federal High Court in Lagos has mandated Ms. Sadia Umar-Farouk, the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management, and Social Development, to provide a detailed account of N729 billion distributed to 24.3 million impoverished Nigerians over six months.
This landmark ruling, delivered by Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu, requires the ex-minister to present a comprehensive list of beneficiaries, detailing the states covered and the specific payments per state. The judgment stems from a Freedom of Information suit (FHC/L/CS/853/2021) initiated by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). A certified copy of the judgment was released last Friday.
Justice Dipeolu emphasized the obligations under the Freedom of Information Act, stating, “The former minister is compelled to provide information to any person, including SERAP. Therefore, I grant an order of mandamus directing the minister to disclose the spending details of N729 billion to 24.3 million poor Nigerians in 2021.”
The court also instructed the minister to clarify the selection process for beneficiaries and the mechanisms of payment. Additionally, she must explain the rationale behind distributing N5,000 to each beneficiary, which constitutes five percent of Nigeria’s N13.6 trillion budget for 2021.
The minister’s failure to disclose the requested information prompted Justice Dipeolu to support SERAP’s appeal under the relevant sections of the Freedom of Information Act 2011. The court ruled in favor of SERAP, dismissing the minister’s objections.
Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP’s deputy director, hailed the judgment as a victory for transparency and accountability in public fund expenditure. He urged President Bola Tinubu to enforce the court orders promptly and address systemic corruption within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and other governmental bodies.
Renowned lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, praised SERAP for its patriotic public interest litigation, urging the government to use the judgment as a stepping stone to tackle corruption and recover misappropriated funds.
In a letter to President Tinubu dated July 6, 2024, SERAP reiterated its call for adherence to the rule of law and immediate compliance with the court’s judgment.
