ABUJA, Nigeria – Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release N32.7 billion and $445,000 recovered from officials of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
In a statement on Sunday under the Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), Falana reminded the EFCC that President Bola Tinubu had approved the disbursement of N32.7 billion in January 2025 to fund social intervention schemes, including school feeding, N-Power, conditional cash transfers, and GEEP loans.
He noted that although the EFCC successfully recovered the same amount, along with $445,000, the funds have not been transferred to NSIPA as required.
“We commend the EFCC and urge it to intensify efforts to recover the outstanding N20 billion still missing. But more importantly, the recovered N32.7 billion and $445,000 should be transferred to NSIPA to alleviate the hardship faced by over 133 million multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians,” Falana stated.
He further called on federal, state, and local governments to strengthen contributions to the National Social Investment Programme, citing FAAC disbursements of N2.001 trillion in July and N1.8 trillion in June 2025.
“Governments must go beyond lip service and invest meaningfully in social protection programmes. They must put their money where their mouth is,” he added.
Falana’s remarks come amid rising public pressure for transparency and accountability in the management of welfare funds.
