Babachir Lawal

In October 2017, President Muhammadu Buhari dismissed Babachir Lawal from his position as Secretary to the Government of the Federation following corruption allegations. Lawal was accused of fraudulently awarding contracts worth ₦544 million through his company, Rholavision Engineering Ltd, for grass-cutting operations in Internally Displaced Persons camps in northeastern Nigeria. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission subsequently arraigned him on charges including conspiracy, fraud, and money laundering.

Lawal's appointment as SGF in 2015 was part of Buhari's initial cabinet formation after winning the presidency on an anti-corruption platform. The scandal emerged from investigations into the Presidential Initiative on Northeast (PINE), a humanitarian program designed to assist communities affected by Boko Haram insurgency. Senate investigations revealed that Lawal had allegedly used his position to influence contract awards to companies in which he had interests, violating public procurement laws and conflict of interest regulations.