HURIWA Gives FG 24 Hours Ultimatum Over Alleged N34.53tn Revenue Diversion Claim

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding immediate action over allegations of a massive N34.53 trillion revenue diversion reportedly highlighted in a World Bank disclosure on Nigeria’s public finance system.

In a statement signed on Sunday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group described the development as “a national emergency” that requires urgent criminal investigation, institutional reforms, and full transparency from all revenue-generating agencies.

HURIWA said the alleged deduction of trillions of naira through so-called “first-line charges” between 2023 and 2025 represents what it termed a “shadow fiscal structure” operating outside constitutional appropriation processes and legislative oversight.

The association warned that if confirmed, the practice amounts to a systematic weakening of Nigeria’s financial accountability framework and a direct threat to democratic governance.

According to the group, the World Bank’s reported findings that a significant portion of federation revenue never reaches the Federation Account due to deductions by government agencies raise serious questions about how public funds are managed and shared.

HURIWA argued that while Nigerians continue to face worsening economic hardship, including inflation, unemployment, insecurity, and declining purchasing power, the alleged diversion of such an enormous sum reflects deep structural failures in public finance management.

The organisation specifically referenced major revenue-generating agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Nigeria Customs Service, insisting that their cost-of-collection and retention frameworks must be subjected to immediate forensic scrutiny.

It also accused the National Assembly of failing in its oversight responsibilities, alleging that lawmakers have allowed what it described as “off-budget financial systems” to operate unchecked over the years.

“A legislature that watches trillions of naira circulate outside transparent appropriation cannot claim ignorance. This is a constitutional failure,” the group said.

HURIWA further called out anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and the Code of Conduct Bureau, urging them to commence immediate investigations.

It warned that continued silence or delay by these institutions would amount to “a betrayal of public trust” and reinforce perceptions of institutional compromise.

The association also demanded the establishment of an independent judicial commission of inquiry to examine all first-line charges, statutory deductions, and retained revenues between 2023 and 2025.

It further called for a comprehensive forensic audit of implicated agencies, full disclosure of all beneficiaries of deductions, and the suspension and prosecution of any officials found culpable.

HURIWA stressed that Nigeria cannot sustain development if massive portions of public revenue are managed outside transparent budgeting systems while citizens are subjected to austerity measures and tax burdens.

“The scale of the allegation, if left unaddressed, confirms the existence of a parallel financial structure that undermines the Nigerian state,” the group warned.

In the statement, HURIWA gave the Federal Government, the National Assembly, and anti-corruption agencies 24 hours to announce concrete steps toward investigation and accountability.

“Failure to act within this timeframe will confirm growing fears that Nigeria’s anti-corruption system has been compromised by political interference and elite capture,” it stated.

The group also urged civil society organisations, labour unions, student groups, and religious bodies to mobilise public pressure for accountability, warning that silence could worsen governance failures.

HURIWA maintained that the situation represents more than a fiscal dispute, describing it instead as a fundamental test of Nigeria’s constitutional order and the credibility of its institutions.

It concluded that history would judge harshly any institution or official that ignores the allegations.