Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed that it is
looking into the petition requesting the anticorruption body to “urgently
begin a thorough, transparent and effective investigation into allegation
that N500 million Safe School funds for Chibok girls, commissioned by
former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to rebuild the
Government Girls School in Chibok, is missing and cannot be accounted
for.”
The petition of 27 December 2016 was sent to the EFCC Chair Ibrahim
Mustafa Magu by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project
(SERAP).
This development was disclosed today by SERAP senior staff attorney
Timothy Adewale.
Adewale said: “We have received confirmation from the EFCC that the body
is looking into our petition. The EFCC has also expressed its
determination to diligently investigate the allegation of the missing N500
million Safe School funds for Chibok girls, and sought additional
information from SERAP.”
“SERAP appreciates the prompt attention the EFCC has given to the matter,
and our organization is committed to sending to the EFCC additional
information including any available documentary evidence in our possession
in order to enable the anticorruption body to get to the root of the
matter, identify suspected perpetrators and bring them to justice, as well
as recover any missing funds.”
It would be recalled that SERAP had in its petition urged the EFCC to
“invite for questioning, and name and shame anyone suspected to be
involved in the alleged diversion, including the contractors allegedly
handling the project.”
The petition reads in part: “The allegation that N500m has been lost to
corruption has resulted in denying the girls access to education, and
shows the failure of the former President Goodluck Jonathan government to
live up to Nigeria’s commitments under the global Safe School
Declaration.”
“SERAP believes that the diversion of the funds will expose the school to
attacks in the future. This is a fundamental breach of the country’s
obligations including guarantees of non-repetition, which contribute to
prevention and deterrence of future attacks.”
“SERAP urges the EFCC to work with the Independent Corrupt Practices and
other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to set up a mechanism to monitor
government’s spending of the safe school funds in order to ensure that the
funds are spent exactly to prevent and deter future attacks, and to allow
the girls to go back to school as soon as possible.”
“SERAP is seriously concerned that the school has remained in a state of
disrepair since the abduction of the girls, and students have remained at
home.”
“SERAP is concerned that the alleged diversion of N500m meant for
reconstruction of Government Girls School in Chibok has directly violated
the right to education of the girls, as guaranteed under the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to which Nigeria is a
state party.”
“The diversion has undermined the obligation of the government to take
step to the maximum of its available resources to achieve the right to
education. The alleged diversion also shows a serious breach of
anticorruption legislation including the EFCC Act, and Nigeria’s
international obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption and
the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption both
of which the country has ratified.”
“The EFCC should ensure full accountability and bring to justice anyone
found to be responsible for corruption and diversion of safe school funds.
The EFCC should also ensure that all proceeds of corruption are recovered
and returned back to the treasury.”
“This request is based on allegation by Governor Kashim Shettima that N500
million set aside by the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan,
is missing and cannot be accounted for. The funds were released for
rebuilding of the Government Girls School in Chibok under the Safe School
Initiative programme, which was commissioned former Minister of Finance,
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.”