The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Tinubu administration at the ECOWAS Court of Justice over the government’s failure to publish the forensic audit report of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which allegedly details the disappearance of ₦6 trillion from the commission.
SERAP mentioned this on its X-Space handle. SERAP is a Nigerian non-governmental organisation that focuses on promoting transparency, accountability, and respect for socio-economic rights.
In response to allegations of widespread corruption, former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 ordered a forensic audit of the NDDC. More recently, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, claimed that the wife of a former minister collected ₦48 billion over 12 months “to train Niger Delta women.”
The suit, filed jointly with four concerned Nigerians—Prince Taiwo Aiyedatiwa, Chief Jude Igbogifurotogu Pulemote, Ben Omietimi Tariye, and Princess Elizabeth Egbe—is registered as case number ECW/CCJ/APP/35/25 and was filed last Friday at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja.
The plaintiffs are seeking: a declaration that the Nigerian government’s failure to release the forensic report constitutes a breach of its international human rights obligations, a court order compelling the government to publish the NDDC forensic report and ensure public access to its findings and a directive requiring the government to implement effective measures for transparency and accountability in the use of public funds allocated to the NDDC.
According to the plaintiffs, “The Nigerian government has violated our right to know the truth about the corruption allegations documented in the NDDC forensic report. The obstruction of its publication perpetuates impunity and conceals critical truths.”
They further argue: “The freedom of expression includes the public’s right to access information about how governments operate on their behalf. Without it, truth withers, and citizen participation in governance becomes fragmented and illusory.”
The plaintiffs maintain that the Nigerian government has withheld the report without offering any explanation, thereby violating its legal obligation to guarantee transparency and provide access to critical public information.
