Sydney has called for an urgent investigation into approximately ₦1.4 billion in audit queries reportedly raised against the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), demanding that its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, explain the findings of the Auditor-General for the Federation.
Sydney made the demand following a court appearance on Monday in the defamation suit filed by Fedrick Omoyoma Oderige against Dabiri-Erewa and NiDCOM at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Bwari Judicial Division, Abuja. The court did not sit on the day.
The case arose from a publication made by Dabiri-Erewa on her verified X account, @abikedabiri, on July 15, 2022, in which she described Oderige, a Nigerian resident in Hungary, as an “angry, hungry Nigerian in Hungary” who was allegedly resisted for attempting to exploit stranded Nigerians in Ukraine.
According to Sydney, Oderige’s dispute with Dabiri-Erewa began after he submitted a request to NiDCOM under the Freedom of Information Act, seeking a transparent account of how ₦236 million initiated by Dabiri-Erewa in the budget of the Federal Ministry of Health under the then Minister, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, was spent.
Oderige also requested the total cost and a comprehensive breakdown of expenditure incurred in evacuating Nigerians from Ukraine following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.
However, Sydney alleged that Dabiri-Erewa and NiDCOM had refused to provide the requested information.
Sydney further stated that subsequent inquiries directed to the National Emergency Management Agency concerning the evacuation exercise revealed that approximately ₦4 billion had not been accounted for.
On February 21, 2023, Oderige instituted a defamation suit against Dabiri-Erewa and NiDCOM, seeking ₦300 million in damages over the alleged injury to his reputation.
Dabiri-Erewa subsequently filed a counterclaim of ₦2 billion against the claimant.
The case is before Justice M.A. Madugu of the FCT High Court, Bwari Judicial Division.
On July 10, 2023, the court ordered that the hearing of a preliminary objection be consolidated with the substantive suit. On September 24, 2024, the court dismissed a motion seeking to set aside the consolidation order.
Sydney’s latest demands followed the reported findings of the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, which raised questions over NiDCOM’s financial management and procurement practices.
According to the account provided by Sydney, the Auditor-General’s Annual Report on Non-Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses for the financial year ended December 31, 2023, contained 13 audit observations against NiDCOM, with quantified queries amounting to approximately ₦1.4 billion.
The report was transmitted to the National Assembly through a letter dated July 17, 2026, by the Auditor-General for the Federation, Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira.
Among the issues identified were ₦209.09 million reportedly spent on flights, accommodation and logistics for diaspora events without supporting receipts or attendance registers.
The report also questioned ₦340.83 million spent through emergency procurement for the Global African Diaspora Symposium without approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement.
Other observations included ₦356.38 million in contracts allegedly awarded to companies with expired prequalification documents and ₦165.29 million paid to contractors with invalid tax clearance certificates.
The audit findings further listed ₦91.90 million in contracts awarded to companies with no verifiable turnover and ₦137.52 million in contracts allegedly split to circumvent procurement thresholds.
Additionally, ₦48.91 million was reportedly paid to officers other than the named beneficiaries, while ₦15.60 million paid to security personnel was allegedly recorded as welfare and cleaning expenses.
Other issues highlighted in the report included ₦20.5 million in excess cash advances, ₦16.43 million in tax under-deductions, alleged overpayments, missing government vehicles and failure to submit audited financial statements for 2023.
The Auditor-General reportedly directed that all queried funds be recovered and remitted to the National Treasury.
The findings have been presented to the National Assembly for consideration.
Sydney expressed concern over the reported financial irregularities, particularly against the backdrop of Nigeria’s public debt burden, which he put at more than ₦166.6 trillion.
He argued that it was unacceptable for public funds to be exposed to alleged mismanagement and irregular expenditure while the country continued to grapple with mounting debt and economic challenges.
Sydney consequently demanded an urgent public explanation from Dabiri-Erewa regarding the audit observations, insisting that all queried funds must be recovered in line with the Auditor-General’s directive.
He also called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant anti-corruption agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the findings.
Sydney maintained that the allegations and audit queries required transparent scrutiny and accountability, stressing that public officials entrusted with public funds must be held responsible for their stewardship.
The controversy places renewed attention on the management of public funds by government agencies and the importance of transparency in the expenditure of taxpayers’ money.
However, the audit observations and financial queries do not, by themselves, establish criminal liability. Any allegation of fraud or misappropriation would require investigation and, where appropriate, determination by the relevant authorities.
The defamation suit between Oderige, Dabiri-Erewa and NiDCOM remains a separate legal proceeding, with the claimant seeking ₦300 million in damages and Dabiri-Erewa pursuing a ₦2 billion counterclaim.
Sydney said he would continue to oppose impunity and demand accountability over the management of public resources.