The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), along with four concerned citizens, has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government of Nigeria at the ECOWAS Court of Justice over its continued refusal to release the forensic audit report on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The forensic audit, originally commissioned in 2019 by then-President Muhammadu Buhari following widespread corruption allegations, reportedly details how an estimated ₦6 trillion vanished from the commission between 2001 and 2019, allegedly implicating senior officials and politicians.
In a statement on Sunday by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said the suit was filed last Friday, July 19, 2025, in Abuja and is marked ECW/CCJ/APP/35/25.
Plaintiffs include Prince Taiwo Aiyedatiwa, Chief Jude Igbogifurotogu Pulemote, Ben Omietimi Tariye, and Princess Elizabeth Egbe.
The suit is seeking:
A declaration that the government’s refusal to publish the NDDC forensic report violates the rights of citizens to information.
An order compelling the Federal Government to publish the report and adopt stronger transparency measures in the management of public funds.
According to SERAP, the report’s continued concealment fosters impunity, public distrust, and erodes accountability mechanisms in Nigeria’s governance structure.
SERAP cited recent comments by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who alleged that ₦48 billion was paid to the wife of a former minister within a year under the guise of training Niger Delta women—highlighting the depth of unchecked financial irregularities.
The plaintiffs argue that the right to information is a fundamental human right under Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which Nigeria is signatory to.
“The concealment of this report violates our right to know the truth about grand corruption in the NDDC. Transparency is essential to democratic participation and accountability,” the suit stated.
They also pointed out that while access to public information can be subject to certain restrictions, such restrictions must be clearly defined by law, serve a legitimate purpose, and be necessary and proportionate. In this case, the government has not provided any justification for withholding the report.
“The default should be maximum disclosure. Secrecy must be the exception, not the norm,” SERAP emphasized.
The organisation stressed that the NDDC audit report does not involve national security and therefore must be made public in the interest of justice, good governance, and citizens’ participation.
The legal action was filed by Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo on behalf of SERAP and the four citizens.
As of the time of reporting, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit at the ECOWAS Court in Abuja.
This legal move adds further pressure on the Tinubu administration to open up the audit findings and take corrective actions on alleged corruption that has long plagued the NDDC.
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