FEDERAL HIGH COURT IN LAGOS DIRECTS FORMER MINISTER OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS, DISASTERS MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, SADIA UMAR-FAROUK, TO ACCOUNT FOR N729BN.

Federal High Court in Lagos has directed the former Minister of
Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development,
Sadia Umar-Farouk, to give details of how N729bn allegedly disbursed
to 24.3 million poor Nigerians was carried out.
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the court ruled that the ex-minister should
provide a list of all the beneficiaries, including their bank details, that
received the N5,000 disbursed for six months.

The judge gave the orders while delivering judgment on a suit, filed by
Social Economic Rights and Accountability Project.

According to SERAP, the judgment was delivered in June while the
certified true copy was released by the court on Friday.
In a statement on Sunday, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole
Oludare, explained that Umar-Farouk filed a preliminary objection to
challenge the suit but the court dismissed it.

According to SERAP, Justice Dipeolu, while delivering the judgement,
held that the former minister is compelled by the provisions of the
Freedom of Information Act to give information to any person, including
SERAP.

He therefore, granted an order of mandamus directing and compelling
the minister to provide the spending details of N729bn to 24.3 million
poor Nigerians in 2021.

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