Greenfield Students: Probe ‘missing $30m Safe School Fund’, SERAP Tells Buhari

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has
urged President Muhammadu Buhari to “direct the Attorney General of
the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, and
appropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate allegations
that $30m safe school fund is missing, mismanaged or diverted, and
to bring to justice anyone suspected to be involved, as well as
recover any missing money.”

SERAP urged him to “direct Mr Malami and appropriate
anti-corruption agencies to investigate why the Safe Schools
Initiative, established to bolster security at schools in response
to the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls has failed to stop
frequent abductions of students, and to ensure the safety and
security of Nigerian children in schools across the country.”

SERAP also urged him to “ask the United Nations Special Envoy
for Global Education, Mr Gordon Brown to wait for the outcome of
any investigation into the spending of the $30m initially budgeted
for the Safe School Initiative programme before leading the
international community and donors to push for more funds for the
programme.”

SERAP’s letter followed the killing of three abducted Greenfield
University students, and the plan launched by the Federal
Government last week to raise additional funds for safe
schools.

In the letter dated 24 April 2021, and signed by SERAP deputy
director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Rather than
pushing to raise more funds for the Safe School Initiative
programme, your government should prioritise and ensure a thorough,
transparent and effective investigation into the spending of the
$30m initially budgeted for the protection of schools, prevention
of attacks, and continued education of students.”

The letter, read in part: “SERAP will also consider asking Mr
Brown to use his influence to insist on transparency and
accountability in the spending of the $30m safe school fund before
rushing to engage donors to commit to additional funding of the
Safe School Initiative programme.”

“SERAP also urges you to ask Mr Brown to put pressure on the 36
state governors to accept voluntary scrutiny by Nigerians and civil
society regarding the spending of any funds spearheaded and raised
by him to improve safety and security in Nigerian schools.”

“Despite the $30m safe school fund meant to ensure safety and
security in 500 schools, and to provide a school environment free
of fear, no school has been protected, as illustrated by the recent
spate of abductions and killings of students in several parts of
the country.”

“Allegations of corruption in the spending of the $30m safe
school fund undermine the safety and security of Nigerian children
in schools, and deny access of poor children to quality education
in a safe environment because the money that the government should
be spending to provide safe schools for Nigerian children is
squandered or stolen.”

“The Nigerian government has a legal obligation to protect
Nigerian children from all forms of violence and other human rights
abuses including abductions, killings, and to prevent and combat
corruption in the spending of funds budgeted to improve safety and
security in schools.”

“Attacks on students, teachers and their families violate
constitutional and international human rights law, and force many
families to keep their children home. This aggravates existing
disparities in access to education, further marginalizing the
poor.”

“The government’s apparent failure to ensure transparency and
accountability in the spending of the $30m safe school fund is
contrary to the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and
violates Nigeria’s obligations under international law and the UN
Sustainable Development Goals.”

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken
within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If
we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all
appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with
our request in the public interest.”

“According to our information, the Federal Government, state
governors and security agencies together with foreign governments
and UN agencies last week launched a plan in Abuja to finance safe
schools in Nigeria.”

“Mr Gordon Brown who attended the meeting reportedly promised to
rally global support for the programme, and stated that ‘donors are
all ready and willing to help in the latest move to fund and
re-energise the initiative.’”

“The plan to raise more funds for safe schools was launched
barely a week after the 7th anniversary of the abduction of the
Chibok girls, which led to the launch of the Safe School Initiative
programme.”

“The Federal Government has a responsibility to ensure that
federal authorities and state governments are transparent and
accountable to Nigerians in how they spend safe school fund, and to
tread carefully in raising additional funds before probing the
spending of the $30m fund.”

“According to our information, the Government Secondary School
in Chibok is still in ruins despite funds that were committed to
its renovation. Allan Manasseh, spokesman for the Chibok community
reportedly stated: ‘It was a substandard structure, every wind that
blew destroyed a part of the building. It kept falling off again
and again and till today it has not been used.’”

“Corruption poses a critical threat to the enjoyment of the
right to education. It weakens institutions, erodes public trust in
government and impairs the ability of states to fulfil their human
rights obligations. It also undercuts both access to and the
quality of education, and hits hardest at the most vulnerable and
marginalised sectors of society.”

“Education is a basic right enshrined in various international
treaties ratified by Nigeria, including the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, the International Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’
Rights. Education is empowering, and enables children to realize
all of their human rights.”

The letter is copied to Mr Malami; Professor Bolaji Owasanoye,
Chairman Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC); Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, Chairman, Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of
Finance, Budget and National Planning, and Mr Brown.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has
urged President Muhammadu Buhari to “direct the Attorney General of
the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, and
appropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate allegations
that $30m safe school fund is missing, mismanaged or diverted, and
to bring to justice anyone suspected to be involved, as well as
recover any missing money.”

SERAP urged him to “direct Mr Malami and appropriate
anti-corruption agencies to investigate why the Safe Schools
Initiative, established to bolster security at schools in response
to the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls has failed to stop
frequent abductions of students, and to ensure the safety and
security of Nigerian children in schools across the country.”

SERAP also urged him to “ask the United Nations Special Envoy
for Global Education, Mr Gordon Brown to wait for the outcome of
any investigation into the spending of the $30m initially budgeted
for the Safe School Initiative programme before leading the
international community and donors to push for more funds for the
programme.”

SERAP’s letter followed the killing of three abducted Greenfield
University students, and the plan launched by the Federal
Government last week to raise additional funds for safe
schools.

In the letter dated 24 April 2021, and signed by SERAP deputy
director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Rather than
pushing to raise more funds for the Safe School Initiative
programme, your government should prioritise and ensure a thorough,
transparent and effective investigation into the spending of the
$30m initially budgeted for the protection of schools, prevention
of attacks, and continued education of students.”

The letter, read in part: “SERAP will also consider asking Mr
Brown to use his influence to insist on transparency and
accountability in the spending of the $30m safe school fund before
rushing to engage donors to commit to additional funding of the
Safe School Initiative programme.”

“SERAP also urges you to ask Mr Brown to put pressure on the 36
state governors to accept voluntary scrutiny by Nigerians and civil
society regarding the spending of any funds spearheaded and raised
by him to improve safety and security in Nigerian schools.”

“Despite the $30m safe school fund meant to ensure safety and
security in 500 schools, and to provide a school environment free
of fear, no school has been protected, as illustrated by the recent
spate of abductions and killings of students in several parts of
the country.”

“Allegations of corruption in the spending of the $30m safe
school fund undermine the safety and security of Nigerian children
in schools, and deny access of poor children to quality education
in a safe environment because the money that the government should
be spending to provide safe schools for Nigerian children is
squandered or stolen.”

“The Nigerian government has a legal obligation to protect
Nigerian children from all forms of violence and other human rights
abuses including abductions, killings, and to prevent and combat
corruption in the spending of funds budgeted to improve safety and
security in schools.”

“Attacks on students, teachers and their families violate
constitutional and international human rights law, and force many
families to keep their children home. This aggravates existing
disparities in access to education, further marginalizing the
poor.”

“The government’s apparent failure to ensure transparency and
accountability in the spending of the $30m safe school fund is
contrary to the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and
violates Nigeria’s obligations under international law and the UN
Sustainable Development Goals.”

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken
within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If
we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all
appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with
our request in the public interest.”

“According to our information, the Federal Government, state
governors and security agencies together with foreign governments
and UN agencies last week launched a plan in Abuja to finance safe
schools in Nigeria.”

“Mr Gordon Brown who attended the meeting reportedly promised to
rally global support for the programme, and stated that ‘donors are
all ready and willing to help in the latest move to fund and
re-energise the initiative.’”

“The plan to raise more funds for safe schools was launched
barely a week after the 7th anniversary of the abduction of the
Chibok girls, which led to the launch of the Safe School Initiative
programme.”

“The Federal Government has a responsibility to ensure that
federal authorities and state governments are transparent and
accountable to Nigerians in how they spend safe school fund, and to
tread carefully in raising additional funds before probing the
spending of the $30m fund.”

“According to our information, the Government Secondary School
in Chibok is still in ruins despite funds that were committed to
its renovation. Allan Manasseh, spokesman for the Chibok community
reportedly stated: ‘It was a substandard structure, every wind that
blew destroyed a part of the building. It kept falling off again
and again and till today it has not been used.’”

“Corruption poses a critical threat to the enjoyment of the
right to education. It weakens institutions, erodes public trust in
government and impairs the ability of states to fulfil their human
rights obligations. It also undercuts both access to and the
quality of education, and hits hardest at the most vulnerable and
marginalised sectors of society.”

“Education is a basic right enshrined in various international
treaties ratified by Nigeria, including the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, the International Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’
Rights. Education is empowering, and enables children to realize
all of their human rights.”

The letter is copied to Mr Malami; Professor Bolaji Owasanoye,
Chairman Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC); Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, Chairman, Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of
Finance, Budget and National Planning, and Mr Brown.