From Saddiya to Edu: Nigeria’s humanitarian ministry illegally transferred N1.4 billion into private accounts

Through the use of private accounts, the ministry was able to circumvent the GIFMIS platform, leaving sufficient room for corruption.

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Between 2019 and 2023, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development illegally transferred over N1.4 billion into the private bank accounts of eight members of its staff. In a single day on 30 December 2023, Mr Ibrahim received five transfers totaling N59.7 million. Some of the titles for the payments raise significant suspicion. For instance, N14.2 million and N10 million were transferred on the same day for “Being payment ‘iro’ correspondence with the national council on climate change” .

In a similar fashion, N206.8 million was transferred into the accounts of Adelana Kazeem. He received N31.9 million in 2022 and N174.6 million in 2023. The transfers were made in small tranches. Chapter Seven, Section 713 of the regulation states that “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private account.” It also adds that: “Any officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with fraudulent intention.”

Often, MDAs use section 1001 of the Financial Regulations to justify the transfer of money into the accounts of employees, claiming that it is “imprest” to meet exigency. Ministries pay money directly into accounts of officers before the money is finally paid into the accounts of the beneficiaries – this practice gives room for the type of corruption the government is trying to prevent with the law.

Through the use of private accounts, the ministry has been able to circumvent the GIFMIS platform, leaving sufficient room for corruption and kickbacks.PREMIUM TIMES contacted the ministry to seek clarifications on the illegal transfers and payments. However, its spokesperson, Rhoda Iliya, declined to speak over the phone and asked the reporter to write an official letter to her. This reporter wrote the letter under the Freedom of Information Act to the ministry.

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