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SERAP Calls Out Tinubu On Loan Agreements By Former Presidents
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu “to direct appropriate ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to provide our organization with copies of the loan agreements obtained by the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.”
In a statement made available to Biztellers, the SERAP also sought “the spending details of any such loans as well as the interests and other payments so far made on the loans.”
In addition, the SERAP urged President Tinubu “to establish an independent audit on the spending of the loans obtained by the governments of the former presidents, and to make public the findings of any such audit.”
The call was detailed in the Freedom of Information (FOI) request dated 13 April 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare.
The not-for-profit said, “Publishing copies of the agreements would prevent and combat waste, corruption, mismanagement, and abuse in the spending of public funds.
“No one should be able to pull curtains of secrecy around decisions on the spending of public funds which can be revealed without injury to the public interest. Democracy requires accountability and accountability requires transparency.”
According to the SERAP, “Nigerians are entitled to information about what their government is doing in their name. This is part of their right to information.”
The FOI request, read in part, “Nigerians’ right to a democratic governance allows them to appreciably influence the direction of government, and have an opportunity to assess progress and assign blame.
“The accountability of government to the general public is a hallmark of democratic governance, which Nigeria seeks to achieve.
“Your government should make it possible for citizens to have access to the agreements and spending details to judge whether their government is working for them or not.
“Publishing the agreements would demonstrate your oft-expressed commitment to openness in government and to promote accountability. It would also improve public accountability in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
“Publishing the agreements and spending details would allow the public to see how and on what these governments spent the loans and foster transparency and accountability.
“The information may help to explain why, despite several billions of dollars in loans obtained by successive governments, millions of Nigerians continue to face extreme poverty and lack access to basic public goods and services.
“Providing us with copies of the loan agreements signed by the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, and widely publishing the agreements would allow Nigerians to scrutinise it and to demand accountability for the spending of the loans.
“We would therefore be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.
“Our requests are brought in the public interest, and in keeping with the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the Freedom of Information Act, and the UN Convention against Corruption, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to Nigeria is a state party.
“According to Nigeria’s Debt Management Office, the total public domestic debt portfolio for the country’s is N97.3 trillion ($108 billion). The Federal Government’s debt is N87.3 trillion ($97 billion).
“Nigeria paid $6.2 billion in 2019 as interest on loans while the country paid $6.5 as interest in 2018. Nigeria also paid $5 billion as interest on loans in 2017 while the country paid $4.4 billion as interest in 2016. For 2015, the interest paid on loans was $5.5 billion.
“SERAP is seriously concerned that substantial parts of the loans obtained by successive governments since the return of democracy in 1999 may have been mismanaged, diverted or stolen, and in any case remain unaccounted for.
“Publishing copies of the agreements would also ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties including the management of the loans obtained between May 1999 and May 2023.
“Your government has a responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in how any loans obtained by the Federal Government are spent, to reduce vulnerability to corruption and mismanagement.
“The Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee to everyone the right to information, including to copies of the loan agreements obtained by successive governments since 1999.
“By the combined reading of the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria, the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, there are transparency obligations imposed on your government to widely publish the agreements and details of the projects on which the loans were spent.
“The Nigerian Constitution, Freedom of Information Act, and the country’s anti-corruption and human rights obligations rest on the principle that citizens should have access to information regarding their government’s activities.”
NEWS
BREAKING: Sen Kingibe Weeps Over Arraignment Of Minors In Adult Court
The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Ireti Kingibe, has wept openly that Nigeria has ‘become a nation that turns against its own children’.
The senator was reacting to the “arraignment of over 100 young boys, aged between 10 and 16, who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest,” in an adult court, against established legal standards.
She took to her verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Saturday, to shed tears and register her strong disappointment with all the parties involved in the shameful and illegal act.
ALSO READ: #EndBadGovernance2024: Atiku Decries Dehumanisation Of Minors
According to Sen Kingibe “How can a government tasked with protecting its citizens justify holding minors in correctional centers, treating their peaceful protest as a criminal offense?”
On the law enforcement agencies breaching the law, Sen Kingibe pointed out that, “According to Nigeria’s Criminal Procedure Act (CPA), minors between the ages of 1 and 17 should never be arraigned in adult criminal courts but instead in juvenile courts, which have exclusive jurisdiction over such cases. Yet, these minors were held in maximum correctional centers for over 85 days before being charged with treason.”
She expressed her firm position that all relevant stakeholders must “urgently unite to secure the immediate and unconditional release of these minors.”
Sen Kingibe wrote, “As the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, I condemn in the strongest terms the recent arraignment of over 100 young boys, aged between 10 and 16, who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest. These minors, who bravely voiced their grievances against the unbearable hardship and hunger ravaging our land, are now being charged with treason — an offense that, if found guilty, carries the death penalty.
“When did we become a nation that turns against its own children — our very hope for tomorrow? When did we lose our compassion and humanity to the extent that we humiliate, arrest, and drag young children into court for the “crime” of speaking out? This shameful prosecution of our youth is not only unjust — it is a betrayal of our humanity and an assault on our future. How can we stand idly by as the dreams of our children are crushed under the weight of oppression? This must end.
“This is utterly disgraceful, and everyone involved should feel ashamed. We owe our citizens, particularly our children, not just protection from external threats but also from unjust treatment within. Children deserve quality education, better healthcare, and protection from domestic violence and abuse, not brutal treatment for exercising their constitutional rights. According to Nigeria’s Criminal Procedure Act (CPA), minors between the ages of 1 and 17 should never be arraigned in adult criminal courts but instead in juvenile courts, which have exclusive jurisdiction over such cases. Yet, these minors were held in maximum correctional centers for over 85 days before being charged with treason.
“How have we, as leaders, stooped so low? Instead of addressing the root causes of their protest, we prosecute those who cry out against them. How can a government tasked with protecting its citizens justify holding minors in correctional centers, treating their peaceful protest as a criminal offense? When did peaceful protest — a fundamental right of citizens — become a crime in Nigeria?
“Numerous videos circulating on social media and news platforms show malnourished children with visible collarbones, countable ribs, fainting, crying, hungry, sick, and, most horrifically, being manhandled. This has turned us into an international embarrassment. If we cannot protect our own citizens, how can we expect to safeguard foreign investors whom we are actively trying to attract to our country?
“This is not only condemnable but an absolute disgrace, and it cannot stand. I demand that every relevant authority — the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Chief Justice of the Federation — as well as the Human Rights Commission and all human rights lawyers, urgently unite to secure the immediate and unconditional release of these minors. I also call upon all mothers and women across the nation to rise in protest against this deplorable treatment of our children. This is not the Nigeria we dreamed of; we cannot allow our future to be sacrificed in silence.”
NEWS
Strike Relief: FG Releases Funds To NASU, Retirees
In a significant development aimed at resolving the ongoing strike by non-academic university staff, the Federal Government has released funds to settle the long-overdue salaries owed to members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Federal Universities (NASU).
The funds will also cover outstanding pension payments for retirees under the Nigerian Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme.
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Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, confirmed the release in a statement on Saturday.
Mokwa stated that payments to NASU members have commenced, with numerous staff already confirming receipt of the funds.
The move comes after members of NASU and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), operating under a Joint Action Committee, began an indefinite strike last Monday in protest over the withheld salaries.
The strike brought federal universities across the country to a standstill, with various academic and administrative services halted.
Several other unions and universities expressed support for the protest, amplifying calls for the funds’ immediate release.
Tensions between the union leadership and the federal government had escalated in recent days, despite a directive from President Bola Tinubu for payments to be made.
On Wednesday, SSANU leaders expressed frustration, stating that many top university officials, including vice-chancellors, bursars, and registrars, had yet to receive the outstanding salaries, further straining relations.
SSANU leadership vowed to keep university facilities shut until all owed salaries are fully disbursed.
“We will not resume activities in our universities until every last outstanding payment has been made,” SSANU leaders warned in a statement.
In his official statement, Mokwa reassured all concerned parties that the government has fulfilled its commitment to fund these payments, which he called “a priority move to alleviate the financial strain on university staff and retirees.”
NEWS
#EndBadGovernance Protests: IGP Claims Suspects’ Collapse Staged To Sway Public Opinion
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun has alleged that the collapse of six suspects in court was a deliberate act intended to attract negative attention to law enforcement efforts.
The six individuals, part of a group of 76 mostly minor suspects facing charges related to the #EndBadGovernance protest, collapsed in the courtroom on Friday.
Related News: EndBadGovernance Protests: Court Sets N10m Bail Each For 67 Minors
Egbetokun, however, underscored that medical aid was promptly provided, highlighting the police’s commitment to the welfare of individuals in custody.
In a statement dated November 1 and signed by Force Spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, the IGP affirmed that under Nigerian law, individuals who reach the age of criminal responsibility are held accountable for their actions, irrespective of age.
“Today, an unexpected incident in court saw six of the suspects suddenly rush out and faint, drawing media attention in a deliberate and scripted manner to attract negative attention,” Egbetokun said.
“Medical aid was promptly provided to these individuals, demonstrating the Police Force’s commitment to the welfare of those in its custody, irrespective of the allegations they face.”
Recall that the court granted bail for each minor at N10 million, sparking criticism both domestically and internationally.
The arraigned individuals, many of whom appeared malnourished, are facing a series of grave charges including terrorism, arson, treasonable felony, and other allegations related to the destruction of public property and threats to national security.
The IGP emphasized that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) remains committed to balancing justice with compassion, noting that the Force has adhered to legal procedures to ensure fairness.
“The NPF has rigorously adhered to legal provisions to ensure fairness and accountability under the rule of law,” he said.
“Throughout this process, the Police have worked to balance justice with compassion, ensuring that each suspect’s basic rights and privileges are respected, including access to medical care and other necessary provisions.”
In his statement, Egbetokun urged the public to avoid bias and pledged transparency throughout the legal proceedings.
“The NPF acknowledges public interest in this case and assures the public that our officers will maintain professionalism throughout the legal process.
“The public is encouraged to view this case without undue bias, as the Force remains focused on a transparent pursuit of justice.”
The police chief added that the Force is committed to aligning with international standards in justice, drawing comparisons to legal practices in countries like the United Kingdom, where young individuals facing serious charges are held accountable, though with empathy and respect for human rights.