Court Orders FG To Release NDDC Audit List

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the government to publish the names of all individuals found liable in the alleged misuse of more than N6 trillion linked to abandoned projects and the operations of the Niger Delta Development Commission between 2000 and 2019.

The order came after a suit filed by SERAP in 2021 seeking access to the full forensic audit report.

The ruling, delivered by Justice Gladys Olotu, directed President Bola Tinubu to instruct the Attorney General to release the complete audit document submitted to the government in September 2021. The court said the report qualifies as public information because it involves public funds.

The court found that the government breached the Freedom of Information Act, the Constitution, and international obligations by withholding the report despite a formal request. It noted that public institutions are required by law to provide details of spending and financial records, and that the president has a duty to ensure access to such documents.

Justice Olotu said SERAP had shown a clear legal right to the information and proved that the government failed to act. She explained that access to public records is a legal entitlement, except in rare cases where exemptions apply, which was not the situation in this case.

SERAP welcomed the ruling and said it provides fresh momentum for transparency in the management of public resources. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana also issued a statement describing the judgment as a step that strengthens public control over oil revenue and urged the government to publish the names of those indicted and begin prosecutions.

In a letter sent to the presidency on November 22, SERAP called on the government to comply with the ruling and release the full audit report without delay. The group said this was a chance for the administration to show real openness in handling public funds.