Falana to EFCC: Return Recovered N32.7bn, $445k Loot to NSIPA for the Poor.
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Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has called on the EFCC to transfer a recovered N32.7 billion and $445,000 loot to NSIPA to fund social programs for Nigeria’s poor. Learn the details of his demand for accountability.
Renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has issued a direct call to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), urging the anti-graft agency to immediately transfer N32.7 billion and $445,000 in recovered loot to the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
Falana argued that the funds, which were recovered from officials of the scandal-ridden Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, were originally earmarked for Nigeria’s most vulnerable citizens and should be used for their intended purpose without further delay.
The demand comes amid growing public pressure for transparency and accountability in the management of social welfare funds, following a series of high-profile corruption investigations.
“Money Belongs to the Poor”: Falana’s Core Argument
In his capacity as the chairman of the Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), Falana explained that the recovered money was initially approved by the President to fund the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP). This umbrella program covers several key poverty alleviation initiatives, including:
The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme
The N-Power youth employment scheme
Conditional Cash Transfers to the poorest households
The Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) for small businesses
He pointed out that while the EFCC has successfully recovered the substantial sum, the money has yet to be remitted to NSIPA, the legal custodian of the funds. This, he noted, contradicts the EFCC’s own stated policy of returning recovered assets to the agencies from which they were stolen.
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“The recovered N32.7 billion and $445,000 should be transferred to the National Social Investment Programme Agency to help alleviate the hardship faced by over 133 million multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians,” Falana insisted.
A Commendation and a Fresh Challenge for the EFCC
While making his demand, Falana also commended the EFCC for its diligence in recovering the looted funds. However, he challenged the commission to intensify its investigation to retrieve an additional N20 billion that is reportedly still unaccounted for from the ministry.
“We commend the EFCC and urge it to intensify efforts to recover the outstanding N20 billion still unaccounted for,” he stated, emphasizing a two-pronged approach of praise for past work and a push for future results.
A Broader Call for Meaningful Social Investment
The senior lawyer extended his call for financial accountability beyond the EFCC, urging all three tiers of government—federal, state, and local—to significantly increase their funding for social protection programs. He argued that with recent increases in government revenue, there is no justification for the “token measures” often allocated to these critical initiatives.
His remarks highlight a growing national conversation about the need for robust and transparently managed social safety nets to cushion the effects of economic hardship on the Nigerian populace.
Why This Matters: The Push for Transparency
Falana’s intervention is significant as it amplifies the public’s demand for a new standard of governance in Nigeria’s social welfare sector. Following major corruption scandals that have revealed the siphoning of funds meant for the poor, citizens and civil society organizations are increasingly calling for mechanisms that ensure recovered loot is not re-looted or lost in bureaucratic processes, but is instead channelled directly to impactful projects.
This call to action serves as a crucial test of the EFCC’s commitment, not just to recovering stolen assets, but to ensuring that the proceeds of corruption are repurposed for the public good, thereby delivering justice to the millions of Nigerians who were originally cheated.
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