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Tag: SERAP

  • SERAP seeks World Bank’s probe

    SERAP seeks World Bank’s probe

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the involvement of the World Bank in the repatriation, management and spending of repatriated stolen funds.

    The Executive Director of the organisation, Adetokunbo Mumuni, stated ?this at a public presentation of the organisation’s new publication- “Deterring Kleptocracy: Finding Nigeria’s Re-Stolen Billions and Repatriating Looted Asset” held at the Weston Hotels, Opebi link road, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.

    Mumuni claimed that over $2?billion stolen by the late Head of State, Gen. Sanni Abacha, was repatriated to the country during the Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar and former President Olusegun Obasanjo administrations.

    He said such investigation into the repatriated fund was to ensure transparency and accountability in these transactions.

    SERAP also asked the World Bank to “publicly disclose the level of involvement of the bank in the repatriation of Abacha stolen funds and other similar funds to Nigeria, and its role on the management and spending of such funds, as well as the projects on which the funds were spent.“

    “The World Bank should publicly disclose its involvement in any other ongoing repatriation initiatives to Nigeria, and the mechanisms it is putting in place to ensure transparency and accountability of such mechanisms and the judicious use of repatriated funds.”

    The 37- page report also urged the Buhari government to “revisit and challenge in court unfair settlements in bribery cases by successive governments and repatriation agreement between the government of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the family of the late Abacha dated July 14, 2014 and other similar dodgy and unfair agreements with a view to getting better deals, receiving damages/compensations from companies such as Halliburton, and achieving justice for the Nigerian people.”

     

  • SERAP to Buhari: Probe World Bank’s role in funds repatriation

    SERAP to Buhari: Probe World Bank’s role in funds repatriation

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the involvement of the World Bank in the repatriation, management and spending of repatriated stolen funds.

    The Executive Director of the organisation, Adetokunbo Mumuni, stated ‎this at a public presentation of the organisation’s new publication- “Deterring Kleptocracy: Finding Nigeria’s Re-Stolen Billions and Repatriating Looted Asset” held at the Weston Hotels, Opebi link road, Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday.

    Mumuni claimed that over $2‎billion stolen by the late Head of State, Gen. Sanni Abacha, was repatriated back to the country during the Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar and former President Olusegun Obasanjo administrations.

    He said such investigation into the repatriated fund was to ensure full transparency and accountability in these transactions.

    SERAP also asked the World Bank to “publicly disclose the level of involvement of the bank in the repatriation of Abacha stolen funds and other similar funds to Nigeria, and its role on the management and spending of such funds, as well as the projects on which the funds were spent. “

    “The World Bank should publicly disclose its involvement in any other ongoing repatriation initiatives to Nigeria, and the mechanisms it is putting in place to ensure transparency and accountability of such mechanisms and the judicious use of repatriated funds.”

    The 37- page report also urged the Buhari government to “revisit and challenge in court unfair settlements in bribery cases by successive governments and repatriation agreement between the government of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the family of the late Abacha dated July 14, 2014 and other similar dodgy and unfair agreements with a view to getting better deals, receiving damages/compensations from companies such as Halliburton, and achieving justice for the Nigerian people.”

     

     

  • Ogun condemns SERAP over petition to UN Rapporteurs

    Ogun State Government has condemned the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) over its petition to the United Nations (UN) Rapporteurs on the state’s sacked education officials.

    In a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, the government accused SERAP of jumping the gun and crying more than the bereaved.

    “Had SERAP examined and understood the facts that led to the decisions of the Ogun State Civil Service Commission, it would have appreciated  they were not even remotely connected with the constitutionally-guaranteed rights to freedom of thought, conscience and expression or academic freedom, which formed the kernel of its petition to the UN Special Rapporteurs,” the statement said.

    The state government wondered if  SERAP had studied the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in relation to disciplinary control over civil servants.

    “Had SERAP looked before leaping, it would have realised that by virtue of Paragraph 2, Part II, Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun,  could not have played any role in the disciplinary measures against the workers,” Adeoluwa said .

    “In the light of the foregoing, government  advised the civil society group  to approach the Ogun State Civil Service Commission for relevant information in order to be well guided,” he added.

  • Students, SERAP sue JAMB, others for ‘excessive’ cut-off marks

    Students, SERAP sue JAMB, others for ‘excessive’ cut-off marks

    Some candidates seeking university admission have sued the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the University of Lagos (UNILAG) at the Federal High Court in Lagos over the new policy on cut-off marks.

    The court yesterday granted their application for a judicial review of the decision to stop them from writing UNILAG’s entrance examination.

    The applicants alleged that JAMB Registrar Prof. Dibu Ojerinde issued a directive stopping them from participating in UNILAG’s post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations scheduled for August 12 and 13.

    They also accused Ojerinde of sending their names to other institutions they did not chose.

    According to them, they scored above JAMB’s 180 cut-off mark, but UNILAG refused to sell its post-UTME forms to them following the alleged directive by Ojerinde to send the names of all candidates with less than 250 marks to other institutions.

    In their ex parte application moved before Justice Mohammed Idris, the applicants prayed for leave to apply for an order of mandamus compelling UNILAG to sell the post-UTME forms to them.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Students, SERAP sue JAMB, UNILAG over cut-off marks

    Students, SERAP sue JAMB, UNILAG over cut-off marks

    Some candidates seeking university admission have sued the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the University of Lagos (UNILAG) at the Federal High Court in Lagos over the new policy on cut-off marks.

    The court on Monday granted their application for a judicial review of the decision to stop them from writing UNILAG’s entrance examination.

    The applicant alleged that JAMB Registrar, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, issued a directive stopping them from participating in UNILAG’s post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations scheduled for August 12 and 13.

    They also accused Ojerinde of sending their names to other institutions they did not chose.

    According to them, they scored above JAMB’s 180 cut-off mark, but UNILAG refused to sell its post-UTME forms to them following the alleged directive by Ojerinde to send the names of all candidates with less than 250 marks to other institutions.

    In the ex parte application filed before Justice Mohammed Idris, the applicants prayed for leave to apply for an order of mandamus compelling UNILAG to sell the post-UTME forms to them.

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) also sued JAMB and UNILAG over what it called “outrageous cut-off marks decisions.”

    The organisation is seeking an order stopping JAMB, UNILAG and others from implementing the decision.

    SERAP, on behalf of three applicants affected by the cut-off marks decision, said the provisions of Section 5(1) (c) (iii) of the JAMB Act ensure that the preferences of candidates in terms of the university they choose to attend are sacrosanct.

    The three applicants are Adeola Hammed Ayobami, Abass Ololade and Abass Ajibola.

    The respondents are – JAMB, UNILAG, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education.

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  • SERAP to Obama: assist in returning stolen assets

    SERAP to Obama: assist in returning stolen assets

    A RIGHTS group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has urged President Barack Obama to back up his commitment on stolen assets by taking aggressive steps towards returning them to Nigeria.

    SERAP made the plea in a statement in Lagos ahead of the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and officials of the Obama government this week.

    It urged the United States (U.S.) government to deal with the problem with the seriousness and intensity that had been previously lacking in similar exercise.

    SERAP Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni, in a statement yesterday, welcomed the commitment by Obama to assist the Buhari government to track down billions of dollars in stolen assets from the country.

    The group stated that greater efforts were required by the Obama government to follow through its commitment, if it was to secure justice for victims of corruption and money laundering.

    It urged the Obama government to move quickly to resolve the issue of returning the assets to the country in an expeditious, just and fair manner.

    “Unless this is done, the rare opportunity the Obama government now has to right the injustice aided and abetted by the U.S. banks will be gone,” the group said.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Obama urged to ensure return of Nigeria’s stolen assets

    Obama urged to ensure return of Nigeria’s stolen assets

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Barack Obama to back up his commitment on stolen assets by taking thoughtful and aggressive steps towards returning them to Nigeria.

    The organisation which made the plea in a statement issued in Lagos ‎ahead of the meeting of President Muhammadu Buhari with officials of the Obama government this week,‎ urged the US government to deal with the problem with the seriousness and intensity that has been previously lacking in similar exercise.

    In the statement signed by SERAP executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organisation welcomed the commitment by President Obama to assist the Buhari government to track down billions of dollars in stolen assets from the country.
    It stated that greater efforts are required by the Obama government to follow through its commitment if it is to secure a measure of justice for Nigerian victims of corruption and money laundering.

    It urged the Obama government to move quickly to resolve the issue of returning the assets to the country in an expeditious, just and fair manner.
    “Unless this is done, the rare opportunity the Obama government now has to right the injustice aided and abetted by the US banks will be gone,” it said.

    According to the SERAP, “Recovering stolen assets from the US is a lingering issue that requires justice and fairness especially given the complicity of US banks and other institutions in corruption and money laundering in Nigeria, and the fact that stolen assets have contributed to the growth of US economy. Therefore, thoughtful and aggressive steps are needed if the Obama government is to change the asset recovery fatigue that characterised previous US administrations.”

    It therefore urged President Obama to “establish a Presidential Advisory Committee and facilitate a congressional hearing on stolen assets from Nigeria. These initiatives would be tremendously important in bringing renewed attention to repatriation of stolen assets to Nigeria.

    “Corruption, money laundering and systematic violations of human rights go hand in hand and that is why President Obama should do everything within his power to get to the bottom of the stolen assets from Nigeria kept in the US,” the organisation said.

  • SERAP urges Buhari, Osinbajo to declare assets publicly

    SERAP urges Buhari, Osinbajo to declare assets publicly

    The socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo “to declare their assets publicly” in line with “their apparent anti-corruption credentials in the interest of transparency and accountability”.

    SERAP’s request followed the declaration of assets last week by the President and Vice President to the Code of Conduct Bureau as required by the constitution.

    In a statement yesterday, SERAP’s Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni, said: “We welcome the official declaration of assets by the President and Vice President. This clearly complies with the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution as contained in Chapter VI Section 140. However, the declaration before the Code of Conduct alone falls far short of the commitment to publicly declare their assets.

    “SERAP recalls that the president had said before the election that he would publicly declare his assets and liabilities, and encourage all his appointees to publicly declare their assets and liabilities as a pre-condition for appointment. We now expect the President to fulfill this promise to the Nigerian people.”

    The organisation “trusts that the President and Vice President will move swiftly to publicly declare their assets and to publish widely the information on a dedicated website.”

    “Public disclosure of assets will give the general public a true picture of the assets of the President and Vice President and will send a powerful message that it is not going to be business as usual with this government,” SERAP said.

  • Boko Haram: SERAP urges govt to assist expectant mothers, children

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has advised the Federal Government to  provide access to healthcare to children and women raped and impregnated by Boko Haram militants.

    It spoke against the disclosure by the military authorities that about 214 children and women rescued from Islamist Boko Haram militants in north-east are pregnant.

    In a statement by SERAP Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organisation said: “Having survived the horrific crime of rape and sexual violence, these children and women should be spared further physical and mental torture by ensuring that they are urgently allowed access to all necessary medical treatment. Such medical treatment must be provided on a non-discriminatory basis.”

    It continued: “These children and women have suffered a wide range of significant physical, psychological and social consequences. Under international law, all victims of conflict, including rape victims, must receive the best care as soon as possible. The children and women are therefore entitled as of right to enjoy access to good quality medical care, including for sexual and reproductive health.

    “SERAP is seriously concerned that the pregnant children and women continue to face adverse treatment or lack proper treatment and care. If urgent action is not taken, the severity of the crime against them means many of these children and women can spend the rest of their lives with full blown emotional problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.’’

    The group said by ensuring their access to medical treatment and care, President Goodluck Jonathan would be sending a message that the rights of the children and women would be honoured by his government.

    SERAP contended that children and women raped during armed conflict are within the “wounded and sick” protected by Common Article 3 Geneva Conventions. Nigeria is obliged to provide all wounded and sick victims of armed conflict with humane treatment, and access to appropriate life-saving medical care and attention required by their conditions without discrimination,” the group said.

    “Any denial of access of these children and women to medical care and attention will be life threatening and continue to cause unbearable suffering to them, and therefore contravening Common Article 3, as well as violating principles of humanity and the dictates of public conscience.”

    “The Geneva Conventions imposes an absolute duty on governments to provide persons “wounded and sick” in armed conflict with complete and restorative medical care without discrimination,” the organisation stressed.

    The group urged the government to ensure that regular information is provided to the public on the exact number of pregnant children and women now being screened by the authorities; the level of medical care and attention they are receiving; the level of their access to the minimum essential food which is nutritionally adequate and safe; basic shelter, housing and sanitation, the level of their access to essential drugs, and the plan for their rehabilitation.”

    “SERAP is closely monitoring the situation of the children and women and will take appropriate legal actions nationally and internationally should the government continue to deny them their right to effective remedies, and fail to implement the above suggested recommendations,” the organisation added.

    ”The UN General Assembly Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action commit states including Nigeria to provide women who are subjected to violence with just and effective remedies for the harm that they have suffered. The right to a remedy for the children and women should include: access to justice; reparation for harm suffered; restitution; compensation; satisfaction; rehabilitation; and guarantees of non-repetition and prevention”, it stated

  • SERAP replies Okonjo-Iweala on ‘missing N30tn’

    A NON-governmental organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has urged Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to “embrace constructive engagement on issues of human rights, transparency and accountability”.

    The organisation asked her “to avoid sound bite and opportunistic attacks on civil society organisations simply working to make the government fit for purpose so that it can function to improve the conditions of millions of marginalised and disadvantaged Nigerians.”

    SERAP’s advice came after Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, last week in a statement, lambasted the group for instituting a lawsuit against her over the claim by a former Central Bank governor, Chukwuma Soludo, that Nigeria had lost about N30 trillion to corruption and mismanagement.

    Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said it was “a politically motivated suit against her based on the discredited N30 trillion allegation by Prof. Charles Soludo.

    “The suit confirms that SERAP is nothing, but a political tool of the opposition hiding behind the façade of advocacy. Like their previous efforts, this latest one will fail because Nigerians can see through their antics…

    “We look forward to meeting SERAP in court.”

    But, SERAP, in a statement yesterday by its executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni said: “We are disappointed that Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala’s response offers little in terms of dealing with the real issue and why the minister failed to respond to a valid freedom of information request made under the law signed by this government.”