Corruption is a hydra-headed monster that is difficult to eradicate. And when it becomes legal, it becomes a culture that becomes almost impossible to shake off. And, with the recent report of the  ₦2.67 billion school feeding fund uncovered in private accounts, one can only wonder how much more there is to unearth.

On Monday, September 28, 2020, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) disclosed that N2.67 billion meant for FG’s school feeding programme during the lockdown had been diverted into private bank accounts. Coming months after the Federal Government insisted on sustaining the school feeding programme when schools were shut, and the shocking revelation that the FG had spent about N523.3 million on the programme.

Many concerned Nigerians had questioned the rationale behind the school feeding programme during the lockdown as it did not seem feasible when schools, across the country, were shut. But that’s not all there is to ‘dynamics’ of a now reported money laundering pipe school feeding programme – there are other shocking tales about ghost cooks, ghost pupils and ghost schools too.

In 2018, Benue Social Investment Office of the Home Grown School Feeding Programme embarked on a screening exercise that uncovered over 500 ghost schools, ghost pupils and ghost vendors who were delisted from the programme, that saved the state from losing N33 million every month.

Also, the Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai had uncovered a system that harboured ghost cooks in 23 LGAs in Kaduna earlier this year and eventually carried out an audit to ascertain the number of cooks in its Home Grown School Feeding programme through Action Aid Nigeria.

Though, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, through her special assistant on media, Nneka Anibeze, has said the report from the ICPC was misinterpreted.

“The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, therefore, calls on the general public to disregard the false reports being linked to the ministry as it is not in any way involved in the Federal Government Colleges School Feeding,” a statement reads.

The conversation on Twitter:

Buhari should sack this woman to enable ICPC to do a throughly discovery.

There is no need for that ministry.

— Comr.Jessica Ogwatta (@WomenvoiceNG_) September 28, 2020

The issue is who did she feed? Schools were shut during the lockdown. So how did she get the children to be fed? Through the parents or she fed the kids at home?

— Ogochukwuka Ruth-Ogboi (@RuthOgochukwuka) September 29, 2020

Ministry is the root of this problem, It's their job to ensure that the money were spent judiciously but they chose not to

— G_Host (@McLafferty_) September 29, 2020

But Lai Muhammed and minister for disaster said that they fed the children, who is lying now please? Nigerian government are all scammers.

— AWOFADEJU Peter, PhD (@AwofadejuPeter) September 28, 2020

Sadly nothing will be heard of this again.. I can really see how corruption is been fought..

— Olaoluwa Holla#TheAnnointed#?? (@Olaoluw39017217) September 29, 2020

Minister Sadiya, now that you've asked ICPC to name the official who embezzled N2.6B school feeding money, I, Great Oracle, active citizen, demand you name the select primary schools you disbursed money to during the lockdown pic.twitter.com/w41ODlN76X

— Great Oracle (@AbdulMahmud01) September 29, 2020

The schools feeding programme is an 'in-person', which means actual feeding of pupils takes place in schools. Not outside. Please, name those primaries 1-3 that were in session during the covid-19 lockdown.

— Great Oracle (@AbdulMahmud01) September 29, 2020

She said the contractors took the food to the various houses of the pupils. Dare her to mention, she will mention schools in sokoto or zamfara

— Dykree (@Dyksyn44) September 29, 2020

Her institution is claiming that particular feeding programme was under a different ministry. Their withholding the name as well as that of one of the culprits. I don't know why.

— ? (@ScentifiedInc) September 29, 2020

The audacity in barefaced duplicity in handling public funds with no iota of respect to our sensibilities has been elevated. We wait! pic.twitter.com/Ha7QsNYEOI

— JOBENZ24 (@jobenz24) September 29, 2020