By Barnabas Augustine
In its effort to ensure government officials account for the responsibilities entrusted to them, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly and thoroughly investigate the spending of the $1.5 billion World Bank loan obtained by the 36 states and Abuja for poverty reduction and social protection across the states.
SERAP made the called to President Tinubu in an open letter dated 10 August 2024, signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
In the letter, SERAP was worried on the act of perpetrators of corruption which it said if there is sufficient admissable evidence of corruption and mismanagement of the World Bank loans funds and the Chinese loans of $3.121bn obtained by the Federal Government, the perpetrators should be prosecuted.
Part of the organisation letter read in part:
“Impunity for corruption in the management of World Bank loans and Chinese loans will continue as long as high-ranking public officials go largely unpunished for their alleged crimes.
“It is by pursuing these allegations and taking the evidence before the court that the truth will be revealed and justice best served.
“There are reports that the $1.5bn World Bank loan to the 36 states and Abuja and the $3bn Chinese loans obtained by the Federal Government may have been mismanaged or diverted, and in any case remain unaccounted for.
“Investigating and prosecuting allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the spending of World Bank loans and Chinese loans would be entirely consistent with the Nigerian Constitution, and the country’s international anti-corruption obligations.
“We note that while a governor may enjoy immunity from arrest and prosecution, he does not enjoy immunity from investigation. Any criminal allegation against a sitting governor can and should be investigated pending the time the governor leaves office and loses immunity.
