Court Orders Tinubu to Publish NDDC N6trn Audit Report, Release Names of Indicted Officials
By Erewunmi Peace
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to publish the full Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) forensic audit report and release the names of all government officials and contractors indicted in the alleged N6 trillion misappropriation recorded between 2000 and 2019.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Gladys Olotu, followed a Freedom of Information (FOI) suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). The court ruled that the Federal Government is legally obligated to make the audit findings public under the FOI Act 2011.
Justice Olotu held that the audit report is a public document and does not fall under any of the exemptions listed in Sections 11 to 19 of the FOI Act. She further declared that the failure of the government to release the report since it was submitted in September 2021 violates both the FOI Act and the constitutional principles of transparency and accountability.
The court therefore directed the President to:
- Publish the complete forensic audit report submitted to the Federal Government on 2 September 2021.
- Disclose the identities of all individuals, companies, and officials found to have diverted or mismanaged the N6 trillion allocated to the NDDC.
- Ensure the Attorney-General of the Federation complies fully with the judgement.
SERAP welcomed the ruling, describing it as a “major victory for transparency in the Niger Delta.” The organisation urged the Federal Government to implement the judgment without delay and initiate prosecution and recovery actions against those implicated.
The NDDC forensic audit, commissioned by the previous administration, reportedly uncovered thousands of abandoned and poorly executed projects across the region despite massive funding over two decades.
As of press time, the Federal Government has not issued an official response to the court order.
