Court asks FG to reveal the identity of ‘looters’

The federal high court in Lagos has asked the federal government to reveal the identity of treasury looters.

The judgement was sequel to a suit marked FHC/CS/964/2016 filed by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, is also a defendant in the suit.

According to a statement by SERAP, Hadiza Shagari, the judge, said the government had the obligation to disclose the names of suspected to have looted the country’s treasury.

“[The government should] immediately release to Nigerians information about the names of high-ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered and the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount of funds recovered from each public official,” Shagari held.

“The federal government has a legally binding obligation to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury past and present.”

The ministry of information had said the country retrieved a total cash amount of N78 billion, $185 million, £3 million and €11,250 between May 29, 2015 and May 25, 2016.

The ministry said the government also recovered a combination of assets and cash of N126 billion, $9 billion, £2 million and €303,399.

It said the government anticipated repatriation of funds from foreign countries totalled at $321 million, £6.9 million and €11,826.

The ministry also announced that 239 non-cash recoveries were made which included farmlands, plots of land, uncompleted buildings, completed buildings, vehicles and maritime vessels.

On his part, Timothy Adewale, SERAP deputy director, described the judgement as a as forward in the fight against corruption.

“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,” Adewale said.

“We will do everything within the law to ensure full compliance by President Muhammadu Buhari and Acting President Yemi Osinbajo with this landmark judgment.”