Following the collapse of Nigeria’s national grid, which has plunged the country into total darkness as generation capacity dropped to 2,000 megawatts, Nigeria’s Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Nigerian government to promptly and thoroughly investigate how over N11 trillion meant to provide regular electricity supply has been allegedly squandered by governments since 1999.
SERAP, the Non Governmental Organisation, has therefore urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami and the appropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate how over N11 trillion meant for the provision of regular electricity supply was ballegedly squandered.
The statement by the Deputy Director of SERAP, Mr. Kolawole Oluwadare, said that anyone suspected to be responsible should face prosecution as appropriate, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and any missing public funds should be traced and fully recovered.
It also urged the Nigerian leader to refer to the International Criminal Court, all unimplemented reports of corruption in the electricity sector gathering dust on the shelves, and to arrest and surrender those named in the reports to the court for prosecution.
According to SERAP, Nigerians have for far too long been denied justice and the opportunity to get to the bottom of why they continue to pay the price for corruption in the electricity sector and staying in darkness, but still made to pay crazy electricity bills.
SERAP noted that the staggering amounts of public funds alleged to have been stolen over the years in the electricity sector have had catastrophic effects on the lives of millions of Nigerians, akin to crimes against humanity against the Nigerian people.
It added that an investigation into the allegations of missing N11 trillion electricity funds, the prosecution of suspected perpetrators and recovering any missing public funds would end a culture of impunity and subsequently address the persistent collapse of the electricity grid.
GIK/APA