The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to file and serve his response in a suit seeking the release of records relating to his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. Justice Salim Ibrahim made the order when the matter came up for hearing, requiring the minister to reply to a counter affidavit opposing his application to be joined as a party before the next hearing date of 18 November 2026.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1812/2026, was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Pathway to Equity and Charity Foundation. The group is asking the court for an order of mandamus compelling the NYSC, as the first respondent, and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), as the second respondent, to produce documents that would show whether Tunji-Ojo completed the mandatory one year national service and carried out his primary assignment with the FCTA.
Among the documents sought from the NYSC are the minister’s mobilisation or call up letter issued in 2006 or any other year, his posting letter to the FCTA, his application for mobilisation, evidence of approval of his remobilisation by the Director General, records of allowances paid to him, his book of life, Community Development Service records and his discharge certificate. From the FCTA the foundation is seeking the mobilisation and posting letters, his attendance record during the service year, evidence of any allowances paid and records of his Community Development Service.
In a 25 paragraph affidavit supporting the action, the chairman of the foundation’s Board of Trustees, Uchenna Ejimafor, stated that Tunji-Ojo had presented himself publicly as having completed the mandatory national service and undertaken his primary assignment with the FCTA. He claimed, however, that a discreet investigation conducted by the foundation indicated that the minister did not serve with the FCTA in 2006 or any other year. The foundation said it had earlier requested the records under the Freedom of Information Act but that the respondents failed to release them within the statutory period.
The minister, through his counsel, applied to be joined as the third respondent in the suit. Counsel to the foundation opposed the application, arguing that Tunji-Ojo is not a proper party because the records sought are not in his custody and the action is solely for an order of mandamus against the NYSC and FCTA. Justice Ibrahim directed the minister to file and serve his reply to the opposing counter affidavit before the next hearing and adjourned the matter accordingly. The court has not yet ruled on the joinder application or granted any order for the release of the records. Leave to commence the action was granted earlier in October 2026.
The controversy over the minister’s NYSC certificate is not new. In a letter dated 8 August 2023 responding to a Freedom of Information request from Premium Times, the NYSC stated that Tunji-Ojo was mobilised for national service in 2006 and deployed to the Federal Capital Territory but later absconded from the scheme. The letter said he resurfaced in 2019, was remobilised and posted to the Federal Capital Development Authority for his primary assignment. It explained that his certificate of national service was not available at the passing out parade because his name had been omitted from the certificate printing application. He later applied for the certificate through the FCT State Coordinator on 18 October 2022, and Certificate Number A004523631 was produced on 28 February 2023 for collection. The NYSC has maintained that the certificate is genuine.
In March 2026 the Nigeria Police Force investigated allegations of certificate forgery against the minister and cleared him. A police report stated that after contacting the NYSC, investigators confirmed that Certificate Number A004523631 was valid, authentic and contained in the scheme’s official records. The report attributed the interruption of the 2006 service to verified medical reasons and noted that he was remobilised in November 2019 and completed the requirements of the scheme. Questions about the timing and circumstances of the service were treated as administrative matters within the regulatory authority of the NYSC. There remains a difference between the NYSC’s earlier description of the 2006 interruption as abscondment and the police report’s reference to medical reasons.
An earlier attempt by another activist, Emorioloye Owolemi, to obtain similar NYSC records through an ex parte application under the Freedom of Information Act was declined in February 2026 by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik. The judge held that the applicant had not demonstrated that the request was made in the public interest as required by law.
The current suit continues before Justice Salim Ibrahim, with the next hearing fixed for 18 November 2026. The foundation maintains that only the production of the full records will resolve questions about whether the minister actually completed national service. Official statements from the NYSC and the police have affirmed the authenticity of the certificate issued after remobilisation while acknowledging the irregular path of the service. No court has yet made a finding on the substance of the claims.
By John James
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