The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a transparency suit against President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to disclose key information on the seized 800 billion naira loot. The suit is about the failure to disclose the names of those from whom the stolen funds were seized, the exact dates of these seizures, and details of the projects funded with the seized funds.
In his Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2020, President Buhari stated that the Nigerian government had set aside over 800 billion naira to be earmarked for development and infrastructure projects. SERAP’s suit, however, calls on President Buhari to make public the full details of the seized loot, including a comprehensive list of the parties involved and a full account of how these funds were spent.
SERAP filed suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1064/2020 at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking judicial review and administrative orders. The order will direct President Buhari to disclose full details of the 800 billion naira loot seized, including projects funded and the exact dates of recovery. SERAP also seeks an investigation into the alleged payment of 51 billion naira from public funds to private accounts of individuals in 2019. The suit also names the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, and Minister Zainab Ahmed.
Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning were named as defendants. SERAP argues that the Nigerian Constitution requires the government to eradicate corruption and ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public resources. The group argues that the public has a right to know details of the loot seized by Buhari.
The case follows President Buhari’s request for transparency on the use of the seized funds by SERAP under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act dated June 13, 2020. SERAP maintains that transparency of these transactions is crucial to maintaining public confidence in the government’s management of public funds.
SERAP believes that granting the funds sought will promote transparency and accountability, enabling Nigerians to assess the impact of projects funded with the seized loot and to investigate suspicious payments to personal accounts.
SERAP lawyers, Mr. Kolawole Oluwadare and Mr. Opeyemi Owolabi, stressed that Nigeria’s obligations under international conventions against corruption require the government to maintain the highest standards of transparency in the management of public funds. Revealing details of the 800 billion naira of seized loot and investigating the alleged payments to personal accounts are essential steps in meeting these obligations.
It is worth noting that civic tech organisation BudgIT recently reported that the Commonwealth Government’s Open Finance Portal allegedly disclosed payments totalling £51 billion to personal accounts in 2019.
A date for the trial of this case has yet to be set.
