SERAP sues Tinubu over alleged missing $2.1b, N3.1tr oil funds

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued President Bola Tinubu over alleged failure to probe allegations that $2.1 billion and N3.1 trillion of oil revenue budgeted as fuel subsidy are missing and unaccounted for between 2016 and 2019.

The suit followed reported revelations by the Auditor-General of the Federation in the 2016 and 2019 yearly reports that the aforementioned funds are missing.

In the case numbered FHC/L/CS/1107/23 and filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is seeking an order of mandamus to direct and compel Tinubu to promptly probe the allegations and direct anti-corruption agencies to urgently investigate fuel subsidy payments made by successive administrations since return of democracy in 1999, name, shame and prosecute suspected perpetrators and recover proceeds of crime.

The organisation is also seeking an order of mandamus to compel the President to use any recovered proceed of crime as palliative to address impact of subsidy removal on poor Nigerians, and to put in place mechanisms for transparency and accountability in the oil sector.

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that the allegations amount to a breach of national anti-corruption laws and the country’s international obligations, especially the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

It is also arguing that the Tinubu government has constitutional and international legal obligations to unravel the allegations and ensure accountability.

According to SERAP, directing and compelling the Nigerian leader to promptly probe, name, shame and bring to justice the perpetrators and to recover any missing public fund would advance the right of Nigerians to restitution, compensation and guarantee non-repetition.

In the lawsuit filed by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Adelanke Aremo, Valentina Adegoke and Ayomide Johnson, the group noted that there would be no economic growth or sustainability without accountability for human rights crimes.

Investigating and prosecuting the allegations and recovering any missing public fund, SERAP said would serve public interest, ensure justice, accountability and end entrenched impunity.

No date has, however, been fixed for hearing of the suit.