Available government data from the Govspend.ng portal showed that over N809 million was paid into individual bank accounts by the President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government as humanitarian interventions, among other purposes.
According to checks by SaharaReporters, the money was disbursed in over 65 payments made into individual accounts by the government, contravening the law. These payments were made under items such as engagement of Internally Displaced Persons, needs assessment of humanitarian interventions, proposal of technical dialogues, renewal of rents, and stipends, among others.
These payments were made by the humanitarian affairs ministry, the Presidency, and the Niger Delta Affairs ministry, among others. The following individuals were tracked in the analysis: Abbas Haruna (N10 million), Ogun Cletus (N7.9 million), Kaosindinma Chinyere (N25.6 million), Gana Ahmed (N5.1 million), Joseph Sunday (N5.3 million), Rabiu Ramala (N5.5 million), Amaefule Ann (N8.3 million), Abubakar Isa (N7.4 million), Chidi Stephen (N19.6 million), Abubakar Auwal (N5.3 million), Agbim Bariya (N19.6 million), Oshamo Titilayo (N9.1 million), Abdullahi Bala (N5.7 million), Prof Hassan Usman (N7.0 million), Usman Garba (N14 million), Oteri Bala (N8.2 million), Adekan Kazeem (N10.5 million), Muktar Badayi (N9.7 million), Ojo Olaoluwa (N6.6 million), Quadri Taiwo (N8.1 million), Ahmed Bomai (N26.9 million), Umar Idris (N5.3 million), Balogun Taiwo (N10.8 million).
Others are Dr. Suleiman Abubakar (N12.7 million) and John Bello (N5.5 million).
Others include Ahmed Abdullahi (N9.1 million), Ambi Bulus (N7.8 million), Jacob Jonathan (N6 million), Micheal Sunday (N5.5 million), Sarki Haruna (N5.5 million), Adigwe Augustina (N5.5 million), Usifoh Sunday (N5.5 million), Taiwo Ademola (N7 million), Muhktar Badayi (N7.1 million), Uko Charles (N12 million), Iyanda Abiodun (N6.3 million), Ngene Bashir (N8.4 million), Umar Idris (N9.9 million), Attahitu Aminu (N6.3 million), Musa Lawal (N6.5 million), Balogun Micheal (N10.7 million), Balogun Taiwo (N6.8 million), and Pam Dauda (N6.5 million).
The office of the Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs paid significant amounts into individual accounts, according to checks by SaharaReporters. The following persons received money into their accounts from this office: Olu Akanni (N38.4 million), Felix Bonny (N25 million), Chief Biba Piri (N13.3 million), Sylvester Tambo (N9.1 million), Joseph Evah (N22.4 million), Odiki Jacob (N33.2 million), Reuben Wilson (N26.6 million), Sobamabo Jackrich (N13.3 million), Abraham Ibitari (N19.8 million), Joseph Evoh (N21.9 million), Felix Bonny (N24.5 million), Odua Jacob (N32.5 million), and Ebika Bowie (N78.9 million).
Section 713 of the financial regulations act of the federal government notes that: “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private bank account. An officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with fraudulent intention.” Based on the law, the payment of public money into a personal account is a contravention, and under no circumstances should public funds be paid into private accounts.
There have been corruption allegations in Nigeria. Recently, the minister of humanitarian affairs, Betta Edu, was suspended by the federal government, and one of the allegations was that money in the ministry was paid into personal accounts. Nigeria also ranks 145 out of 180 countries by the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, with a score of 25 out of 100 points.