Socio–Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit in the Federal High Court, Abuja seeking leave to apply for judicial review and an order of mandamus to direct and compel President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to disclose details of allocations, disbursement and spending of security votes by the Federal Government, 36 state governors and 774 local governments between 1999 and 2019.
The suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1369/2019 filed last Friday followed SERAP’s Freedom of Information requests and the respondents’ failure to account for some N241.2 billion of public funds allocated, disbursed and spent yearly as security votes, and the corresponding lack of effective protection of the rights to security and welfare, life and physical integrity of millions of Nigerians.
Others joined in the suit are the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele; Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris; and Auditor General for the Federation, Mr. Anthony Ayine.
The suit was filed by SERAP’s lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi.