Falana Demands EFCC Probe, Recovery Of N33.75bn Cash Transfer Funds, Prosecution Of Officials Who Stole It
Falana Demands EFCC Probe, Recovery Of N33.75bn Cash Transfer Funds, Prosecution Of Officials Who Stole It
Falana made the call in a statement issued on Sunday, following revelations contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s 2024 Annual Report on Non-Compliance/Internal Control Weaknesses in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government.
Human rights lawyer and Chairman of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), Femi Falana, SAN, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate and recover N33.75 billion in cash transfers that the Auditor-General for the Federation said could not be verified as having reached genuine beneficiaries.
Falana made the call in a statement issued on Sunday, following revelations contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s 2024 Annual Report on Non-Compliance/Internal Control Weaknesses in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government.
Auditor-General Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira had revealed that the Federal Government could not provide sufficient evidence to auditors that N33.75 billion meant for cash transfers to more than 3.29 million vulnerable households reached genuine beneficiaries.
Falana said the EFCC should work with the Auditor-General’s office to recover the funds and investigate their alleged diversion.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should liaise with the Auditor-General of the Federation with a view to recovering the missing N33.75 billion,” he said.
“Furthermore, the EFCC should embark on immediate investigation of the serious allegation of the criminal diversion of the sum of N33.75 billion in cash transfers earmarked for poor and vulnerable people in the country.”
He added: “All the characters involved in the shameful conduct should be arrested and prosecuted without any delay.”
Falana said the alleged failure to account for the funds was particularly troubling given the statutory framework established for the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) under the National Social Investment Programme Agency Act 2022.
The Act, enacted under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, transformed NSIPA into a statutory agency with responsibility for implementing major social intervention programmes.
According to Falana, the legislation empowers NSIPA to design programmes, manage beneficiary databases, strengthen payment and accountability systems, and work with state governments and development partners.
He said the agency is mandated to oversee programmes including N-Power, the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, National Cash Transfer, National Social Safety-Net, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme and Grant for Vulnerable Groups.
However, Falana alleged that NSIPA had been undermined by corruption involving public officials.
He recalled that former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, was investigated by the EFCC over alleged money laundering involving more than N37.1 billion, with a charge filed against her.
In April 2026, a Federal Capital Territory High Court issued an arrest warrant against Farouq and her former Permanent Secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali, after they repeatedly failed to appear for arraignment.
Falana also recalled the suspension of Farouq’s successor, Betta Edu, following a leaked memo in December 2023 directing the Accountant-General of the Federation to transfer N585 million in public intervention funds into a private bank account.
Halima Shehu, then Chief Executive Officer of NSIPA, was also suspended and questioned over alleged suspicious movement of funds.
“By now, the EFCC ought to have concluded its investigation into the scandal to enable Betta Edu and Halima Shehu Shema to know their fate,” Falana said.
He noted that the Federal Government subsequently introduced stricter tracking measures, including requiring beneficiaries to link their profiles with their Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) and National Identification Numbers (NIN) to eliminate ghost beneficiaries.
Falana said the latest revelation by the Auditor-General raised fresh concerns about the management of social investment funds.
He also criticised the proposed use of a $3.05 billion package of development programmes unveiled by President Bola Tinubu in July 2026 to deepen poverty reduction, strengthen human capital and expand economic opportunities.
The initiatives, supported by the World Bank, are intended to ensure that the gains of the Federal Government’s economic reforms translate into improvements in the lives of Nigerians.
Falana urged the Federal Government to establish an independent mechanism involving credible civil society organisations to oversee the disbursement of the funds to poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
“Instead of allowing public officers to feast on the huge funds for poverty reduction in the land, the Federal Government should set up a body constituted by representatives of credible civil society organizations to disburse the 3.05 billion package of development programmes to the poor and vulnerable people in the country,” he said.
Falana further claimed that the World Bank could withdraw the funds if the Federal Government failed to prevent alleged misuse by public officials.
