The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued President Muhammadu Buhari “for failing to investigate allegations that over N1.48 trillion allegedly spent on maintaining the country’s four refineries between 2015 and 2020 may have been stolen, mismanaged, or diverted into private pockets.”
According to reports, the government spent N10.23 billion in June 2020 on three refineries that processed no crude. In addition, the government approved $1.5 billion (approximately N600 billion) in 2021 to repair the Port Harcourt refinery. Despite massive investment, refineries remain idle as fuel scarcity persists.
SERAP is seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel President Buhari to investigate the spending on Nigeria’s refineries, and alleged mismanagement of public funds budgeted for maintaining the refineries since 1999” in the suit number FHC/L/CS/806/2022 filed last week at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
SERAP is also seeking “an order of mandamus requiring President Buhari to prosecute anyone suspected of being responsible for the importation and distribution of dirty fuel into Nigeria, as well as to identify and ensure access to justice and effective remedies for affected victims.”
According to SERAP, “it is in the public interest to ensure justice and accountability for alleged corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector, which has resulted in the importation and distribution of dirty fuel and the country’s protracted fuel scarcity.”
“The Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and international standards impose clear obligations on the Buhari administration to take effective accountability measures to weed out, expose, and punish allegations of corruption in the oil sector, and to ensure effective remedies for victims,” according to SERAP.
SERAP is also seeking “an order of mandamus compelling President Buhari to direct and compel appropriate anti-corruption agencies to jointly track and monitor the spending of public funds to rehabilitate, operate, and maintain Nigeria’s refineries.”
Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has joined the suit as a Respondent.
“Nigeria has made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption to ensure accountability in the management of public resources,” according to the suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms. Adelanke Aremo. These commitments must be fully honored and respected.”
“According to reports, the government spends more than N264 billion per year operating and maintaining the country’s refineries.” According to reports, successive governments have spent trillions of Naira to rehabilitate, operate, and maintain refineries that have produced little or no fuel.”
“The government reportedly spent $396 million on refinery maintenance alone between 2015 and 2020.” Despite this massive investment, millions of Nigerians continue to lack access to an uninterrupted supply of fuel.”
The suit’s hearing is however yet to be fixed.