The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project ( SERAP) has filed a complaint against President Muhammadu Buhari, alleging that N3.1 billion was lacking from the Ministry of Finance.

The case was filed in response to the Auditor General of the Federation’s 2018 and 2019 reports.

According to the organization, Nigeria’s president failed to ensure that individuals suspected of being guilty were prosecuted.

SERAP is requesting an order to force action from the President in a complaint filed on Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos with the number FHC/L/CS/148/22.

According to the Daily Post, the unexplained public money violates the country’s anti-corruption legislation and international responsibilities, notably the UN Convention, according to SERAP.

The respondents are the Ministers of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning.

SERAP’s counsels, Kolawole Oluwadare and Adelanke stated that the authorities must take adequate steps to ensure openness and accountability in the handling of public funds.

Citing the Auditor-General’s report for 2018, the agency accused the Ministry of Finance of spending N24,708,090 on pre-retirement training without any documentation.

Despite the fact that the consultant engaged failed to provide a price for the training, the ministry paid him N5,670,060.

The first payment voucher to him was dated January 13, 2017, but the application for payment was dated January 20, 2017. (seven days before request).

The ministry reportedly failed to account for N2,885,772,493 released from the Service Wide Vote for estacodes and other expenses for meetings and contribution to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, according to the report.

The ministry allegedly granted a contract for N98,540,500 on May 17, 2017, without any documentation, in violation of the Public Procurement Act.

The project was not included in the budget according to SERAP

The ministry is accused of deducting N9,354,809 in Withholding Tax and Value Added Tax without providing proof of payment.

According to the report, “The ministry also reportedly spent N98,759,299.20 between January–December 2017 without any document, contrary to Financial Regulation 601.

“According to the 2019 report of the Auditor-General, the ministry paid N20,466,744.00 as cash advances to ‘You-Win’ staff between 8 February and 18 December 2018 but the ministry has failed to retire the money.”

According to SERAP, the government lost N2,046,674 in taxes that would have accumulated if these jobs had been completed through the allocation of contracts.

The ministry allegedly paid N15,471,850 to two consultants for capacity building in Kano and Adamawa states without any supporting documents, in violation of Financial Regulations paragraph 603 (1).