The Federation's Accountant General, Ahmed Idris, who disclosed this, said the sum accounted for 84 per cent of the N36.3bn public funds and donations raised by the Federal Government to address the pandemic.

It has been revealed that between April and July this year, the Federal Government spent N305 billion on efforts to curtail COVID-19.

According to The PUNCH, the Federation's accountant general, Ahmed Idris, who disclosed this, said the sum accounted for 84 per cent of the N36.3bn public funds and donations raised by the Federal Government to address the pandemic.

He said the balance was N5.9 billion.

Idris said this in response to a request for freedom of information jointly made by the Project for Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability; and Connected Growth.

The Deputy Director of SERAP, Kolawole Oludare, said in a statement on Sunday that Idris also claimed in his undated statement that "the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 spent N22 billion; while 36 states spent N7 billion on COVID-19"

According to the release, Idris added that the Nigerian Air Force spent N877 million on deploying assets to support COVID-19 operations; N500 million was spent by police on personal protective equipment; and N17,865.09 was charged as bank charges.

However, while commending Idris for honoring the FoI request, SERAP and CODE urged him to respond to other information requested in the FoI document, including the particular projects on which N22bn was spent by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the list of Nigerians benefitting from the projects.

The groups said, "It's refreshing to note that 115 ordinary Nigerians donated between N1 and N100 to support efforts by the authorities to combat COVID-19, despite the fact that the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to bear among the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of the population in the country.

"Of the N36.3 billion public funds and donations collected, N1.4 billion came from Nigerians and businesses through First Bank accounts; Access Bank; GTB, Zenith, and UBA, while N536 million was donated through Nigerian Central Bank. The N536 million contributions from the Senate and House of Representatives include N89 million and N279 million , respectively.

"Additionally, N48 million was donated by China General Chambers of Commerce in Nigeria; N50 million was donated by the Petroleum Equalization Management Board while Nigerian Content Creation and Monitoring Board gave N70 million.

"We will be grateful if, within seven days of receiving and/or publishing this document, the necessary details and additional information are sent to us. If we have not learned of you by then, SERAP and CODE shall take all necessary legal action under the Freedom of Information Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples ' Rights to oblige you to satisfy our submission.