SERAP asks EFCC to probe N500m Chibok school fund

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the alleged missing 500 million naira meant for the reconstruction of the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok.

In a petition signed by Timothy Adewale, staff attorney of the organisation, SERAP said the money had been lost to corruption.

The organisation said the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan failed “to live up to Nigeria’s commitments under the global Safe School declaration”, consequently denying several girls access to education”.

It asked Ibrahim Magu, acting EFCC chairman to work with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to “urgently begin a thorough, transparent and effective investigation into allegation that N500 million Safe School funds for Chibok girls, commissioned by former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to rebuild the Government Girls School in Chibok, is missing and cannot be accounted for”.

According to SERAP “the diversion of the funds will expose the school to attacks in the future”.

“This is a fundamental breach of the country’s obligations including guarantees of non-repetition, which contribute to prevention and deterrence of future attacks,” the petition read

The organisation said it is also concerned that the school has not been renovated and the students have been at home.

“SERAP is seriously concerned that the school has remained in a state of disrepair since the abduction of the girls, and students have remained at home,” it said.

“SERAP is concerned that the alleged diversion of N500m meant for reconstruction of Government Girls School in Chibok has directly violated the right to education of the girls, as guaranteed under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.

“The diversion has undermined the obligation of the government to take step to the maximum of its available resources to achieve the right to education. The alleged diversion also shows a serious breach of anti-corruption legislation including the EFCC Act, and Nigeria’s international obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption both of which the country has ratified.”

SERAP asked the EFFC to bring to justice anyone found culpable in what it described as the mismanagement of funds.

The organisation said it was making the request following the allegation of Kashim Shettima, governor of the Borno state.