A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered Ms Sadiya Umar-Farouk, former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management & Social Development to account for the payments of N729 billion to 24.3 million poor Nigerians for 6 months.
The court also ordered the former minister to provide the list & details of the beneficiaries who received the payments, the number of states covered & the payments per state.
The judgment was delivered last month by Hon Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu with suit numbered FHC/L/CS/853/2021, brought by the Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project.
SERAP said it obtained the certified true copy of the judgment last Friday.
In his judgment, Justice Dipeolu held that, “The former minister is compelled by the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act to give information to any person including SERAP.
I therefore grant an order of mandamus directing & compelling the minister to provide the spending details of N729 billion to 24.3 million poor Nigerians in 2021.”
