Abuja, Nigeria – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), alongside four concerned Nigerians, has filed a lawsuit against the administration of President Bola Tinubu at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja. The suit, lodged last Friday under case number ECW/CCJ/APP/35/25, accuses the Nigerian government of failing to publish a forensic audit report on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which allegedly reveals the misappropriation of N6 trillion between 2001 and 2019.
The forensic audit, ordered in 2019 by the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, was intended to probe allegations of grand corruption within the NDDC. The plaintiffs, including Prince Taiwo Aiyedatiwa, Chief Jude Igbogifurotogu Pulemote, Ben Omietimi Tariye, and Princess Elizabeth Egbe, argue that the government’s refusal to disclose the report violates Nigeria’s international human rights obligations. They claim this secrecy obstructs transparency, perpetuates impunity, and denies citizens their right to access information.
The lawsuit seeks a court declaration that the government’s failure to publish the NDDC report breaches fundamental human rights, as enshrined in Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both ratified by Nigeria. The plaintiffs are also requesting a court order compelling the government to release the report and implement measures to ensure transparency and accountability in NDDC’s financial operations.
“The Nigerian government has violated our right to know the truth about the corruption allegations documented in the NDDC forensic report,” the plaintiffs stated in their filing. “Implicit in freedom of expression is the public’s right to open access to information and to know what governments are doing on their behalf.”
The suit, filed by lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo, highlights the public interest in disclosing the report, which is not classified as a matter of national security. The plaintiffs argue that access to the report is essential for democratic participation, enabling citizens to hold the government accountable and address corruption. They further contend that any limitations on access to information must comply with international human rights standards, which the Nigerian government has failed to demonstrate.
Recent allegations by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, have added weight to the case. Wike claimed that the wife of a former minister collected N48 billion over 12 months to “train Niger Delta women,” underscoring the need for transparency in NDDC’s operations.
The plaintiffs assert that the government’s refusal to publish the report undermines the rule of law and citizens’ ability to seek justice for documented corruption. “Access to information is a basic tool for building citizenship,” the lawsuit states, emphasising that public disclosure of the report would empower Nigerians to pursue accountability.
No date has been set for the hearing of the case, but the outcome could set a significant precedent for transparency and governance in Nigeria.
