Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Mba Ukweni and Chief Solo Akuma, have condemned the alleged disappearance of ₦18.6 billion reportedly allocated for the construction of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) office complex, calling for an urgent investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Department of State Services (DSS).
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Their reactions followed a call by Lagos-based rights group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), urging the leadership of the National Assembly to explain the whereabouts of the funds.
Speaking exclusively with Tribune Online, Mba Ukweni, SAN, described the incident as a monumental embarrassment and insisted that the funds could not simply vanish without a trace.
He rejected the notion that the money was “missing,” arguing instead that it was stolen.
“A lot of ridiculous things happen in this country that people should be ashamed to mention. How can ₦18.6 billion be said to be missing? Such a huge amount cannot just disappear.
“If it was moved through banks, it is traceable. If it was stolen in cash, the perpetrators are known. The money is not missing; it was stolen,” Ukweni said.
The Senior Advocate added that Nigeria’s financial tracking systems make such a transaction traceable.
“The EFCC, ICPC, and DSS should immediately be involved to trace where the money went. They already know where it is. The National Assembly leadership cannot pretend otherwise,” he maintained.
Calling the development a national disgrace, Ukweni expressed regret that corruption in public office has become a source of mockery, recalling previous scandals such as the infamous ‘snake swallowing money’ incident in government offices.
“Some time ago, they said a snake swallowed money. Nobody killed the snake to retrieve it. Now, ₦18.6 billion is missing. I don’t know what swallowed it this time — perhaps another animal.
“But the truth is simple: it is not missing. It is stolen, and the thieves must be named, shamed and prosecuted,” he said.
Ukweni stressed that corruption thrives because perpetrators are rarely held accountable.
“The reason our justice system is weak is that wrongdoers are neither condemned nor punished adequately.
“Until those responsible for this ₦18.6 billion theft are brought to justice, others will continue to steal boldly.
“Today, it is ₦18.6 billion; tomorrow, the entire national budget could disappear,” he warned.
He insisted that dealing decisively with the culprits would help deter future misappropriation of public funds.
“There is no society that tolerates this level of corruption and survives — not even a family.
“When corruption becomes a way of life, it destroys the moral fabric of the community,” he added.
Also speaking with Tribune Online, another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Solo Akuma, attributed the scandal to institutional weakness and the failure of the Office of the Auditor-General to enforce proper financial oversight.
“The Auditor-General should be the first point of accountability. Every withdrawal from public funds must have justification tied to an approved project.
“If ₦18.6 billion left the treasury without proper oversight, then the Auditor-General failed in his duty,” Akuma said.
He noted that the National Assembly has its own internal auditor in addition to the Auditor-General of the Federation — both of whom should have flagged any irregular movement of such a large amount.
“You don’t just walk into a bank and withdraw ₦18.6 billion. It must pass through processes.
“Did the Auditor-General approve it? Did the internal auditor query the transaction? If both failed, then they share responsibility,” he stated.
Akuma urged anti-graft agencies to act swiftly, lamenting that corruption cases involving powerful individuals are often ignored.
“Now that SERAP has raised the issue, the EFCC must step in. Visit the project site, find out who the contract was awarded to, how much was released, and whether any work has been done.
“But what do we see? When certain personalities are involved, they look the other way. That is selective justice,” he said.
He added that until Nigeria strengthens its audit systems and empowers oversight institutions to operate without political interference, such scandals will continue.
“We must appoint people of courage and integrity to the Auditor-General’s office people who will not approve payments for non-existent projects.
“Otherwise, we will keep losing billions while the poor continue to suffer,” Akuma warned.
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