LAGOS/Nigeria: The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre has formally petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate several Nigerian Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) over allegations of financial misconduct. The petition, signed by HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, accuses these MDAs of violating the Nigeria Financial Regulations, 2009, by diverting public funds into personal accounts and engaging in questionable transactions.
The allegations stem from an investigative report by The Investigator, an online media outlet, which revealed that multiple MDAs had engaged in practices that contravene Chapter 7, Section 713 of the Nigeria Financial Regulations. Among the implicated entities are the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
One notable case cited in the petition involves the Federal Polytechnic, Ngodo Isuochi, Abia State, where suspicious financial transactions were allegedly carried out in December 2023. The institution reportedly disbursed substantial sums for office equipment, with payments made to individuals such as Drisu Ndalami Ibrahim, Ezenuruihe Ifeyinwa Olachi, and Ndubuisi Paul Darlington, totaling tens of millions of naira in a short period, raising concerns of financial impropriety.
The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment was also highlighted in the petition for allegedly paying large sums to individuals in 2018 under the pretext of promoting the patronage of made-in-Nigeria products. Similarly, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta was accused of disbursing N85 million for meeting logistics with stakeholders and camp leaders, alongside other suspicious transactions.
In Akwa Ibom State, funds were reportedly mismanaged under the guise of organizing stakeholders’ workshops, while the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta was implicated in the payment of millions of naira for various administrative advances and logistics, with little transparency in the disbursements.
HEDA’s petition underscores the severity of public service corruption in Nigeria, emphasizing its detrimental impact on governance and the provision of public services. The organization called on the ICPC to conduct a thorough investigation in line with Sections 16 and 17 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, with the aim of prosecuting those responsible, including the heads of the implicated MDAs.
Known for its dedication to public accountability and transparency, HEDA expressed deep concern over the integrity of Nigeria’s civil service and the federation at large. The organization stressed the urgent need for stricter oversight and enforcement to curb corruption within the public sector, ensuring that public funds are used for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
