Babs Oyetoro
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to “direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly investigate the spending of the billions of naira of Ecological Fund collected by Borno State since 2001, including the N816m collected by the state between January 2024 and June 2024.
In a statement yesterday, SERAP said, “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.”
SERAP also urged him to “direct Mr Fagbemi and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to urgently identify and ensure access to justice and effective remedies to affected victims in Borno state.”
“Direct Mr George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to work with appropriate anticorruption 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.”
In the letter dated September 21, 2024, and signed by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, “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.
“The devastation in Borno highlights your 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 notes 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 receive monthly 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 expressed concern that the ecological funds collected by Borno State over the years may have been diverted, mismanaged, or unaccounted for.
It added, “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 seven days of this letter’s receipt and publication. 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.
“Your government has legal obligations to protect the rights of flood victims in Borno and elsewhere in the country, including ensuring they receive adequate food, shelter, safe drinking water, access to sanitation, and other basic aid.
“Your government must use all means available to it to prevent and address the threats to human rights that result from climate change and to provide access to remedies when these rights are violated.
“According to reports, the recent floods in Borno started when a dam [the Alau Dam in Maiduguri] burst its walls following heavy rainfall. The floods have reportedly killed more than 30 people.
“About one million people have been affected, most of whom are housed in camps without food and clean water. According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), 229 people have been killed by floods in Nigeria since the start of the year. The worst flooding in recent times killed 600 people in 2022.”
*FG alerts Nigerians to clear canals, drainage, gutters over impending flood
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has appealed to Nigerians to clear their canals, drainages, and gutters to mitigate floods.
A dam update report by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) said the water levels at the nation’s critical stations along the River Benue steadily increased towards flood levels.
According to the statement signed by Head of Media and Publicity, Lauretta Samuel, as of Saturday, the rise continues but is at the flood preparedness level.
Samuel urged the twelve flood-prone states earlier warned by NIHSA to implement measures to contain or allow conveyance.
This is because a recent overflow in the Alau Dam caused the worst flooding in Maiduguri, Borno State, and Nigeria’s history.
