SERAP drags Governors, Wike To Court, Over N5.9trn, $4.6bn Loans

Published

1 year ago

May 6, 2024

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SERAP drags Governors, Wike To Court, Over N5.9trn, $4.6bn Loans—-The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged all state governors, as well as the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nyesom Wike, before the Federal High Court in Lagos, for failing to account for loans totaling N5.9 trillion and $4.6 billion.

SERAP, in the litigation yet to be assigned to a judge, is asking the court to compel the governors and Wike to account for and disclose copies of the loan agreements, including details and locations of projects done with the loans.

The organisation is also asking the court to direct the defendants to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission [ICPC] to investigate the spending of all the loans obtained to date by their states and the FCT.

In an affidavit attached to the suit, the plaintiff is arguing that it is in the public interest to grant the reliefs sought because Nigerians have the right to see and scrutinise the loan agreements and know the details of how the domestic and external loans obtained by the governors and FCT minister are spent.

SERAP also averred that opacity in the spending of the loans obtained by the defendants would continue to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens.

The civil society organisation further argues that many states and the FCT are reportedly spending public funds, which may include the loans obtained to fund unnecessary travel, buy exotic and bulletproof cars and generally invest in the lavish lifestyles of politicians.

SERAP is also arguing that many states and the FCT are also allegedly mismanaging public funds, which may include domestic and external loans obtained from bilateral and multilateral institutions and agencies.

The plaintiff claimed that many states and the FCT reportedly owe civil servants’ salaries and pensions and are borrowing to pay salaries. At the same time, millions of Nigerian residents continue to be denied access to essential public goods and services such as quality education and healthcare.

SERAP further insisted that transparency in the spending of the loans obtained by the states and FCT is fundamental to increase accountability, prevent corruption, and build trust in democratic institutions to strengthen the rule of law.

The plaintiff also stated, “Widely publishing copies of the loan agreements and spending details of the loans obtained would ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for performing their duties in the management of public funds.

“State governors and Mr Wike cannot hide under the excuse that the Freedom of Information Act does not apply to their states and the FCT. The legal obligations to publish the information sought are also imposed by the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

“According to Nigeria’s Debt Management Office, the total public domestic debt portfolio for 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory is N5.9 trillion. The total public external debt portfolio is $4.6 billion.

“The domestic and external loans obtained by the states and the FCT are vulnerable to corruption and mismanagement. The states and FCT have a responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in how any loans obtained by the states and FCT are spent to reduce vulnerability to corruption and mismanagement.

“Directing and compelling the states and FCT to publish copies of the loan agreements would allow Nigerians to scrutinise them and promote transparency and accountability on the spending of public funds, including the loans obtained,” SERAP stated.

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Tragedy at Akala Express: Stray Bullet Kills A Student In Ibadan

Published

3 days ago

May 20, 2025

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Tragedy at Akala Express: Stray Bullet Kills A Student In Ibadan—-Nigeria Police officer on Tuesday kill an innocent teenager with a stray bullet while on his way for WAEC Examination.

Eyewitnesses report that the secondary school student, simply identified as Taiwo, was said to have been hit by a stray bullet allegedly fired by a yet-to-be-identified police officer during a high-speed chase.

The incident, it was gathered, occurred around Gbagi Market Road in Ibadan as the officer pursued a fleeing vehicle, suspected to be conveying internet fraudsters, popularly called “Yahoo boys.”

Sources said the officers, in an attempt to scare the suspected fraudsters, shot into the air, but that the bullets fired hit the student, who was riding on a motorcycle with his twin brother.

The boy was on his way to take the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examination at the time of the incident.

He was a candidate in the ongoing WAEC examination for SS3 students.

In response to the tragedy, market traders and sympathisers in protest took the boy’s lifeless body to protest the action of officers at the Oyo State Secretariat, demanding justice.

As of the time this report was written, security personnel have been stationed at the entrance of the government secretariat to control the crowd.

Ibadan-based radio station, Splash FM, said the student was killed by police officers who opened fire while in pursuit of a Hilux vehicle.

“Unfortunately, a stray bullet struck the student, who was in his father’s car, resulting in his death. The incident has sparked outrage and calls for an immediate investigation into the actions,” the report noted.

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Biafran Political Activist Simon Ekpa To Be Repatriated For Supporting Nnamdi Kanu, Witness Tells Court

Published

3 weeks ago

May 2, 2025

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Biafran Political Activist Simon Ekpa To Be Repatriated For Supporting Nnamdi Kanu, Witness Tells Court—A prosecution witness, identified as PW-AAA, on Friday, said that Simon Ekpa would soon be brought from Finland to Nigeria to face trial for supporting Nnamdi Kanu in the agitation for Republic of Biafra.

PW-AAA, one of the Department of State Service (DSS) operatives that arrested Kanu in 2015 at a Lagos hotel, told Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja in the ongoing trial of Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The witness, whose real name was not mentioned because of security reasons, stated this during cross examination by Kanu’s counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN.

Earlier, the Federal Government also tendered more items recovered from Kanu and admitted as exhibits by the court.

These include one black laptop, two multi mix transmitters, one mini white Apple iPad with a pouch, one grey Apple iPad with a pouch, one grey MacBook with a pouch, one grey MacBook with case, one mini drone sound wave speaker, and two mini white speakers.

Others are one large computer mouse, one white adaptor, one laptop adaptor and one carton bag with laptop, two 3G modems, two Glo modems, one Glo Hawaii modem, one MTN modem, one Etisalat modem, one flash drive and one camcorder.

These also included one hand recorder in a black pouch, one MacBook Pro adaptor, one Mic stand, one Phillips headphone, one radio sharp mic with cord, one pro sound mic with cord and one 4G LTE modem.

Others are a bunch of cards, one power adaptor for mixer, one Easy Blaze white modem, one Samsung phone,1 black Motorola phone and one Nokia phone.

Also found on him are “one black Samsung phone, one black phone, 1 D-Link black modem, one 8GB flash drive, one extension wire adaptor, one pair of shoes, one belt, one pair of ciderwood sneakers and one footwear.

“One black Softech wristwatch, two singlets, one sealed Hermes perfume, one Trinket, one Pokham perfume, one Fredrick Peckham wristwatch, one Diesel wristwatch, one Alexander Christy collection wristwatch, one Club wristwatch.

“Others are a bank MasterCards, copies of documents, one copy of IPOB complementary card, documents tagged IPOB, one white clipper, one bottle of medicine, one Oman perfume, one Mini scented oils, one empty black purse.

“Others are one Nigerian passport bearing the names Okwu Kanu Nwannekaibeya Nnamdi Ngozichukwu and one British passport bearing the name Okwu Kanu Nwannekaibeya, one black purse, one passport holder, one card holder, one box of Rocarden wristwatch and four bundles of cords.”

While being cross examined, PW-AAA said no weapon was recovered from the IPOB leader during his arrest in Lagos.

He also said that no arms was recovered from the lady arrested along with Kanu.

He said though the recovered items might not be ordinarily offensive, the intention of the defendant might be otherwise.

PW-AAA also told the court that he did not analyse any of the items recovered because his mandate was to effect arrest and obtain statement from Kanu.

Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter until May 6, May 7 and May 8 for continuation of cross examination.

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