Nigerian netizens on X (formerly Twitter) have demanded the probe of Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, over N3 billion of the National Social Register alleged fraud using #GbajaFraud.
The subject has been trending on X.
A memo issued by Gbajabiamila revealed that President Bola Tinubu approved the release of N3 billion to verify the National Social Register under the former administration of Muhammadu Buhari, for the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Betta Edu.
The social register was created for cash transfers and other social investment programmes.
Several firms were awarded contracts from the N3 billion given out to the suspended minister—a release that has now generated controversies and is the subject of a probe by presidential investigators and anti-graft agencies.
This development also generated negative reactions from Nigerians across social media platforms, who described the action of the Chief of Staff as insensitive towards the present economic hardship common citizens have been subjected to since the current government assumed office in May 2023.
An X user, Paul Smith Obasi, said it is wrong for the country’s political leaders to continue to preach to citizens to sacrifice while they keep stealing from the public treasury.
Paul wrote: “3 billion for social register verification? And you want the poor amongst us to endure and make sacrifices while your government is busy stealing and looting. Nigerians are we going to continue to keep mute when very few are living extravagantly with our wealth. #GbajaFraud.”
“3 billion naira to verify social register, yet they tell the common man to endure hardship while they loot the entire country to stupor. #GbajaFraud,” another user, Foundational Middle Belter added.
According to one Jane, the Chief of Staff’s alleged involvement in the fraud would affect the citizens’ confidence in Tinubu’s government.
Jane said, “If people like Gbaja close to the president can perpetrate this corrupt act and get away with it because they are so powerful, more people will lose faith in this government. #GbajaFraud.”
“I wonder what this people take us for. So we need to endure this hárdship in order for them to loot us dry #GbajaFraud,” @ossy_mercy said.
“A whole N3 Billion naira! Ha! Our Chief of Staff don do this one while many Nigerians sleep with hunger. It’s not funny anymore. #GbajaFraud,” @ThaRealBello said.
Another X user, @amietorii, said: “Mr Gbajabiamila should also be asked to leave his office for proper investigation into the alleged fraud the way Mrs Betta Edu was suspended.
“From the look of this letter. Gbaja is also guilty, and since Betta Edu was suspended, Gbaja should face the law too. #GbajaFraud.”
“Gbaja is obviously known for fraud, no one should exonerate him and he must be brought to book. This is totally a daylight robbery,” @mosunnn wrote.
“We will keep saying our own, Gbaja and his cohorts at the Villa should fear God and not spoil this administration for us. Tinubu can do better but not with Gbaja as his CofS,” @numberonetweep said.
“Nigeria is not a banana republic; these people stealing us dry need to be held accountable for their crimes. How can you approve 3.7b without the president’s consent? Just how? #GbajaFraud,” Fadekemi added.
