Sowore Questions Okonjo-Iweala’s $2.4bn Subsidy Fraud Claim, Demands Evidence

Sowore has demanded evidence identifying those responsible for the alleged subsidy fraud and clarifying its connection to the kidnapping.

Human rights activist and AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has questioned the evidence behind World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s account that efforts to uncover an alleged $2.4 billion oil subsidy fraud were linked to the kidnapping of her mother in 2012.

In a post on social media, Sowore demanded clarification on the individuals and companies allegedly involved in the fraud, as well as the investigations, audit reports and prosecution records arising from the case.

He questioned what became of the money and whether the authorities identified those responsible for the alleged fraudulent subsidy claims during Okonjo-Iweala’s tenure as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance.

Okonjo-Iweala recently recounted the incident during an interview with Bloomberg’s Francine Lacqua, explaining that her efforts to investigate suspicious claims under Nigeria’s fuel subsidy programme preceded threats against her and the abduction of her mother, Kamene Okonjo, in December 2012.

According to the account published by TheCable, Okonjo-Iweala said her office became concerned after noticing a sharp increase in claims submitted by petrol importers. She said she raised the issue with then President Goodluck Jonathan and sought approval to audit the accounts.

In his response, Sowore challenged the connection between the alleged subsidy fraud and the kidnapping, asking what verifiable evidence established that the abduction was retaliation for the investigation.

He also criticised Okonjo-Iweala’s book, Fighting Corruption Is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines, arguing that it did not adequately identify those responsible for the alleged fraud or explain what happened to the money.

The book, published by MIT Press in 2018, recounts Okonjo-Iweala’s experiences confronting corruption during her time in government, including the kidnapping of her mother. Its publisher describes the abduction as linked to opposition to reforms led by the former finance minister, particularly efforts to tackle fraudulent oil subsidy claims.

Sowore further questioned the police account of the kidnapping, alleging that police records and judicial proceedings pointed to the involvement of individuals connected to the victim’s household and family environment. He argued that these claims should be examined alongside Okonjo-Iweala’s account rather than accepted or dismissed without evidence.

He also criticised Bloomberg interviewer Francine Lacqua, arguing that the claims required more scrutiny during the interview.

The activist’s post has brought renewed attention to two separate but related questions: the extent to which fraudulent claims affected Nigeria’s fuel subsidy programme and the evidence linking the alleged fraud investigation to the kidnapping.

While the publisher’s account of Okonjo-Iweala’s book supports her position that the kidnapping was connected to opposition to anti-corruption reforms, the specific identities of those responsible for the alleged $2.4 billion fraud and the precise evidentiary link between the fraud investigation and the abduction require examination of relevant official records.

Sowore has called for answers on the companies and individuals implicated, the outcome of investigations and any evidence establishing a direct connection between the alleged fraud and the kidnapping.