A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the Federal Government to immediately release to Nigerians names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered, the circumstances under which funds were recovered and the exact amount of funds recovered from each public official.
The judgment was delivered on Wednesday by Hon Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/CS/964/2016 by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
The suit followed disclosure in 2016 by the Federal Government of funds recovered from some high-ranking public officials and private individuals.
In her judgment, Justice Shagari agreed with SERAP that, “the Federal Government has a legally binding obligations to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury past and present.”
Joined as defendants in the suit are the Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Muhammed and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.
Justice Shagari also granted a declaration that by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the Defendants are under a binding legal obligation to provide the Plaintiff with up to date information on the matter.
The court ordered government “To widely disseminate including on a dedicated website information about the names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered since May 2015.
“The circumstances under which stolen public funds were returned”.
In his reaction, Timothy Adewale, SERAP deputy director, who argued the case on behalf of SERAP and said “This is a victory for justice, rule of law, transparency and accountability in this country.”
“The judgment shows the way forward in the fight against corruption and impunity of perpetrators.
“We will do everything within the law to ensure full compliance by President Mohammadu Buhari and Acting President Osinbajo with this landmark judgment”.
The Ministry of Information last year published details of the recoveries, which showed that the Nigerian government successfully retrieved total cash amount N78,325,354,631.82, $185,119,584.61, £3,508,355.46 and €11, 250 between May 29, 2015 and May 25, 2016.
Also released were recoveries under interim forfeiture, which were a combination of cash and assets, during the same period: N126,563,481,095.43, $9,090,243,920.15, £2,484,447.55 and €303,399.17.
Anticipated repatriation from foreign countries totalled: $321,316,726.1, £6,900,000 and €11,826.11.
The ministry also announced that 239 non-cash recoveries were made during the one-year period.
The non-cash recoveries are – farmlands, plots of land, uncompleted buildings, completed buildings, vehicles and maritime vessels.
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