A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted leave to the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and Human and Environmental Development Agenda Resource Centre to sue the Central Bank of Nigeria for failure to disclose detailed information on COVID-19 donations requested from it in July this year.
Justice Inyang Ekwo granted the order following an ex parte application moved by the two applicants’ counsel, Joel Ekong, on Monday.
SERAP had filed an ex parte application on November 3, 2020 stating that they were “seriously concerned” that despite the donations, “the larger proportion of Nigerians, including the poorest and the most vulnerable people, have not benefited up till now from the Federal Government and private sectors announced palliatives, donations, cash payments, cash transfers and other benefits.
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The human rights organisation has said that it was reported that “about N15bn in monetary contributions, is currently in the account set up under the Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) and domiciled with the respondent” and in line with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, they had requested information on the COVID donations via their letter dated July 29, 2020, and delivered to the CBN on August 8, 2020, as well as their reminder letter dated September 30, 2020 and delivered to the apex bank on October 2, 2020, all to no avail.
In his ruling, the judge ordered the applicants to file their substantive suit within seven days and serve it on the CBN within seven days after the filing.
He also directed the CBN to file its response to the suit within 30 days of being served by the applicants.
The court, in its ruling, granted leave to the applicants to apply for judicial review and seek an order declaring that the failure of the respondent to publish and provide comprehensive details of financial donations received towards responding to the emergence of COVID-19 till date, among others, was a breach of their rights under the Freedom of Information Act and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
