NEWS
SERAP Sues Tinubu On Failure To Account For Govt Loans
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to court for failing to publicly tender ‘spending details of the loans obtained by the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.’
Biztellers reports that the suit named the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Debt Management Office (DMO), as defendants.
In the suit number FHC/L/CS/353/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP is asking the court to “direct and compel the Tinubu government to publish the loan agreements obtained by the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.”
The SERAP is also asking the court to “direct and compel the Tinubu government to publish the spending details of any such loans, including the interests and other payments so far made on the loans.”
In the suit, the SERAP is arguing that, “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.”
The SERAP is also arguing that “The Tinubu 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.”
According to the SERAP, “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.”
The SERAP is arguing that, “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 SERAP is also arguing that, “The accountability of government to the general public is a hallmark of democratic governance, which Nigeria seeks to achieve.”
The suit filed on behalf of the SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part: “Publishing the loan agreements would improve public accountability in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).”
“Nigerians are entitled to information about what their government is doing in their name. This is part of their right to information.”
“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.”
“Publishing 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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“Persons with public responsibilities ought to be answerable to the people for the performance of their duties including the management of the loans obtained between May 1999 and May 2023.”
“The Tinubu 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 the Tinubu 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.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
In response to the recent security alerts, the Osun State Government has approved the establishment of a Joint Security Taskforce to strengthen security response and alert to threats to lives and properties in the state.
According to a government house statement on Thursday, to ensure smooth take off of the JTF, the state government declared its readiness to provide all necessary logistics that will strengthen the protection of lives and property of the people throughout Osun State .
The decision was adopted at the State Security Council (SSC) meeting convened yesterday by Governor Ademola Adeleke and presided over by the Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi with the new Commissioner of Police personally in attendance alongside other security top brass.
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The Deputy Governor while opening the meeting conveyed the best wishes of the state Governor to the service commanders and lauded their steadfastness during recent security challenges and tasked them not to relent in the face of fresh security threats.
Accompanied by the Attorney General of the state, Hon Wole Jimi-Bada; the Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina; and the Governor’s Special Adviser on Security, Mr Samuel Ojo, the Deputy Governor told the commanders that the governor is committed to further empowering the security agencies to secure the state while calling on the traditional rulers to sustain their local security oversight.
The Council during its deliberations also used the opportunity of the meeting which lasted several hours to further allay the fears of the residents on their security and protection, noting that Osun state remains safe and secured.
The Council further tasks residents to be extra vigilant particularly in churches, mosques and schools, tasking stakeholders to put extra security measures around their premises.
While assuring the public of their safety, the Council further requested timely intelligence sharing to security agencies by members of the public to forestall attacks by suspected terrorists and bandits.
The Nigeria Police in conjunction with other security agencies were also directed to be on a 24 hour red alert to curtail the threats of the said bandits and terrorists.
At the meeting, an agreement was also reached between the Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Police, and the DSS, to collaborate with a view to ensuring that all the suspects are properly investigated and prosecuted accordingly without delay.
The meeting ended with a commendation of the new Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Zungura for instituting policing reforms since his assumption of office and for attending the security meeting in person.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Yola, Adamawa State, to lead a Federal Government delegation on a condolence visit to the family of the late elder statesman, Alhaji Bamanga Muhammad Tukur.
Shettima’s visit is at the instance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following the death of the former Governor of the old Gongola State and former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Vice President was received in Yola by Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, alongside members of the state executive council.
Tukur, who died on September 12, 2026, was a prominent businessman, politician and elder statesman whose career in public service and business spanned several decades.
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He served as Governor of the defunct Gongola State and later became National Chairman of the PDP. He was also recognised for his contributions to Nigeria’s political development and Africa’s business community.
The presidential delegation accompanying Shettima includes the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori; former Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali; Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia; and Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel.
Others on the delegation are Hon. Abdulrazaq Sa’ad Namdas; Sarkin Gabas Adamawa, Dr Mahmood Halilu Ahmed (Modi); and APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, among others.
The condolence visit comes as political leaders, government officials and other Nigerians continue to mourn the death of the former governor and PDP national chairman.
Peter Obi has condemned the reported killing of some Nigerians abducted in Borgu, Niger State, saying the country must never normalise the killing of its citizens.
Obi made this known in a statement released via X on Wednesday, where he described the reports emerging from Borgu as increasingly difficult to comprehend and deeply painful.
He recalled that on August 27, he had expressed his anguish over the reported abduction of about 600 Nigerians, including women, children and elderly people, alongside the killing of others.
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According to him, his anguish has deepened following continuing reports of the gruesome killing of some of those abducted, while many others remain unaccounted for.
Obi also referred to another disturbing incident in which a bandit group reportedly beheaded a Nigerian and sent his severed head to a community leader over a ₦50 million levy.
“If the reported killing was intended to increase pressure on the community and extract more money for those still being held, then we must recognise the terrible reality before us: human life is being deliberately turned into a bargaining instrument,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor said one person being killed to terrorise an entire community while others are kept alive as hostages for more ransom amounts to the systematic devaluation of human life.
“These are not statistics. They are Nigerians. They are mothers, fathers, children, brothers, sisters and elderly people,” Obi said.
He questioned how long the country would continue to accept the kidnapping of hundreds of citizens, killings, criminal levies, displacement and ransom payments as unavoidable features of Nigerian life.
Obi said insecurity also affects families, farms, businesses, education and public confidence in government.
He called for intelligence-led operations, stronger community security, rapid response, better coordination and equipment for security forces, effective border protection and sustained action against criminal networks.
“The primary responsibility of government is the security and welfare of its citizens,” he said.
“While politicians prepare for elections, Nigerians are asking for something more fundamental: the right to live.”
Obi urged the government to match prayers with action, insisting that no criminal group should determine who lives or dies anywhere in Nigeria.
“Every Nigerian life matters. Every victim deserves justice. Every community deserves protection. Nigeria must restore security, justice, and the dignity of human life,” he added
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