In December 2016, the Nigerian Senate special committee investigating the mounting humanitarian crisis in the North East under the leadership of Senator Shehu Sani made a shocking discovery that the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal received the sum of two hundred million Naira (N200,000,000) through his company Rholavision Engineering Limited, from another company handling contracts for Presidential Initiative in the North East (PINE).

The Senate immediately called for his sack, but the President had to write the Senate of not giving him a level playing ground in their investigation, an accusation rebuffed by the Senate. The issue later amounted to a back and forth between the Senate and the Presidency and it foot-dragged until he was suspended in April 2017 and, sacked in October 2017.

Despite the mismanagement of funds meant for critical situations like the war-ravaged North East region of the country, it took the Presidency several months before he was suspended and later sacked without handing him over to the necessary prosecuting agencies for adequate prosecution.

Also in June 2017, there was a news report on the sale of date fruits donated to Nigerian Muslims by Saudi Arabia government. The date palms were part of the 200 tonnes of dates donated to the country by the Arabian country. Despite the condemnations received from Nigerians, the federal government did nothing to punish the offenders and we all moved on.

In August 2017, IDP’s at Gubio IDP camp in Maiduguri attacked staffs of a humanitarian organisation, International Medical Aid Corp that were at their camp to offer humanitarian assistance to them. And, the decision of the government both at state and federal level to not to prosecute those found wanting in the management of the IDP’s in a court of law, sent a wrong message to would-be offenders.

In October 2017, we were confronted with the sale of UNICEF customised School bags meant for IDP’s. This shameful act came to being due to non-prosecution of earlier offenders which has emboldened others to involve themselves in such acts that amount to profiting from the hapless conditions of others.

Those found culpable in the sale of this UNICEF bags must be brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others.