The Senate Audit Committee has indicted the Ministry of Justice, led by Abubakar Malami, for giving away a court debt of N10.4 billion without due process. This follows a report from the Federal Comptroller’s Office that was adopted by a committee chaired by Senator Matthew Woologhide, representing Ed South.
In its findings, the OAGF found that the amount accumulated as a judgment debt in 2017-2018 was paid without forming a committee to that effect.
The last time the ministry held such a committee was in 2013, according to the report.
If the practice is allowed to continue, the federal government will lose funds available to pay its debts, according to the report.
The Senate joined the OAGF in asking the Justice Department to stop payments and immediately set up a committee.