The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and four Nigerian citizens have filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian government at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja.
The suit concerns the government’s failure to publish the report of the forensic audit carried out on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
SERAP and the plaintiffs are seeking the publication of the NDDC forensic report, which allegedly implicates top officials and politicians in the disappearance of N6 trillion between 2001 and 2019.
The plaintiffs want the government to adopt effective measures to address transparency and accountability gaps in NDDC’s spending of public funds.
The plaintiffs argue that the Nigerian government’s failure to publish the report violates Article 9 of the African Charter, which guarantees the right to access information.
They also cite Article 19 of the ICCPR, which protects the right to seek, receive, and impart information.
The plaintiffs claim the government’s refusal to publish the report denies them the right to know the truth about corruption allegations.
They argue that publishing the report is in the public interest, promoting democratic participation and accountability.
No hearing date has been set for the suit yet.
