The
EFCC has commenced probe into the missing N500 million meant for the
rebuilding of the Government Girls School in Chibok in Borno state.
Chibok girls
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed
that it is probing the missing N500 million Safe School funds meant to
rebuild the Government Girls School in Chibok in Borno state.
The foundation for the school was laid some weeks to the
presidential election in 2015 by former finance minister, Dr Ngozi
Okonjo Iweala. A petition of 27 December 2016 was sent to the EFCC Chair
Ibrahim Mustafa Magu by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability
Project (SERAP).
This development was disclosed today by SERAP senior staff attorney Timothy Adewale.
Adewale to SERAP.
“We have received confirmation from the EFCC that the body is
looking into our petition. The EFCC has also expressed its determination
to diligently investigate the allegation of the missing N500 million
Safe School funds for Chibok girls, and sought additional information
from SERAP,”Adewale said.
SERAP had in its petition urged the EFCC to “invite for
questioning, and name and shame anyone suspected to be involved in the
alleged diversion, including the contractors allegedly handling the
project.”
“The allegation that N500m has been lost to corruption has
resulted in denying the girls access to education, and shows the failure
of the former President Goodluck Jonathan government to live up to
Nigeria’s commitments under the global Safe School Declaration.”
“SERAP believes that 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.”
“SERAP urges the EFCC to work with the Independent Corrupt
Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to set up a
mechanism to monitor government’s spending of the safe school funds in
order to ensure that the funds are spent exactly to prevent and deter
future attacks, and to allow the girls to go back to school as soon as
possible.”
-NAN
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