A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the President
Muhammadu Buhari’s government to list names of suspected
looters.

The court enjoined the government to immediately release names
of high-ranking public officials from whom public funds were
recovered.

The order was made on Wednesday, July 4, by Hon Justice Hadiza
Rabiu Shagari after a freedom of information suit number: FHC/
CS/964/2016 brought by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability
Project (SERAP).


Daily Sun reports that joined as defendants in the suit are Alhaji
Lai Muhammed, the minister of information and and the federal
ministry of information and culture.


A declaration that by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 (a) of
the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the Defendants are under a
binding legal obligation to provide the Plaintiff with up to date
information relating to the following:

1. To widely disseminate including on a dedicated website
information about the names of high ranking public officials from
whom public funds were recovered since May 2015

2. The circumstances under which stolen public funds were
returned
Timothy Adewale, SERAP deputy director who argued the case on
behalf of SERAP and was in court this morning when the judgment
was delivered said “This is a victory for justice, rule of law,
transparency and accountability in this country.

''The judgment shows the way forward in the fight against
corruption and impunity of perpetrators.

''We will do everything within the law to ensure full compliance by
President Mohammadu Buhari and Acting President Osinbajo with
this landmark judgment.

''It would be recalled that the Ministry of Information last year
published details of the recoveries, which showed that the Nigerian
government successfully retrieved total cash amount
N78,325,354,631.82, $185,119,584.61, £3,508,355.46 and €11, 250
between May 29, 2015 and May 25, 2016.

''Also released were recoveries under interim forfeiture, which were
a combination of cash and assets, during the same period:
N126,563,481,095.43, $9,090,243,920.15, £2,484,447.55 and
€303,399.17.

''Anticipated repatriation from foreign countries totalled:
$321,316,726.1, £6,900,000 and €11,826.11.

''The ministry also announced that 239 non-cash recoveries were
made during the one-year period.

''The non-cash recoveries are farmlands, plots of land, uncompleted
buildings, completed buildings, vehicles and maritime vessels.
''Subsequently, SERAP was issued an FOI request and gave the
Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed 14 days to disclose
the names of all suspected looters.

The request read in part: “While we believe that suspects generally
are entitled to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of
competent jurisdiction, SERAP opposes blanket non-disclosure of
names of high-ranking public officials from whom some of the funds
were recovered.

https://www.naij.com/1113432-court-orders-buharis-government-release-high-ranking-looters.html

Ehen

sarraki on the move......

I've never seen any ambitious man like him (except brownish tootMAN called t.n.b.u)

Buhari and court orders against him are a waste of time. He certainly will not obey.