The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project
(SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and
the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) over the alleged missing or
diverted sum of ?128 billion from the power sector.
Disclosing this in a statement on Sunday, SERAP’s
Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said corruption has continued to fuel
frequent national grid collapses, noting that Nigerians last week experienced
the first grid collapse of 2026, which plunged large parts of the country into
darkness.
SERAP said the allegations are contained in the latest
annual report published by the Auditor-General of the Federation on September
9, 2025.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/143/2026, was filed
last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to the statement, SERAP is seeking an order
of mandamus compelling Adelabu and NBET to account for the alleged missing or
diverted ?128 billion from the Federal Ministry of Power and NBET.
The organisation is also asking the court to direct
the defendants to disclose the full names, official designations, and offices
of all public officers who authorised, approved, or were involved in the
release of the disputed funds.
“Nigerians continue to pay the price for widespread
and grand corruption in the power sector. There is a legitimate public interest
in ensuring justice and accountability for these grave allegations,” SERAP
stated.
It argued that granting the reliefs sought would help
address corruption in the electricity sector, reduce persistent transmission
breakdowns, and improve access to regular and uninterrupted power supply for
Nigerians.
SERAP further noted that the court’s intervention
would strike against the culture of impunity surrounding public funds meant for
electricity infrastructure.
“Ordinary Nigerians continue to suffer the
consequences of corruption in the electricity sector — remaining in darkness
while being forced to pay exorbitant electricity bills,” the group said.
The organisation added that the allegations raised by
the Auditor-General point to serious breaches of public trust, the 1999
Constitution (as amended), and international anti-corruption standards.
Citing the Auditor-General’s 2022 audited report,
SERAP said the Federal Ministry of Power failed to account for over ?4.4
billion transferred to the Mambilla, Zungeru, and Kashimbilla power project
accounts, with no evidence of how the funds were spent.
It also alleged that over ?95 billion was paid to
contractors for various power projects without proper documentation or proof of
project execution.
According to SERAP, the Auditor-General expressed
fears that the funds may have been diverted and recommended that the money be
recovered and remitted to the treasury.
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