The Socio-{Economic} Rights and Accountability Undertaking (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit towards the Nigerian Nationwide Petroleum Firm Restricted (NNPCL) over its alleged failure to account for ₦825 billion and $2.5 billion meant for refinery rehabilitation and different oil revenues.
The swimsuit, filed on the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Lagos and marked FHC/L/MISC/722/25, follows revelations within the 2021 audited report by the Auditor-Common of the Federation, printed on 27 November 2024.
The report accused the NNPCL of failing to elucidate the whereabouts of huge sums earmarked for refinery repairs, a declare additional compounded by current remarks from enterprise mogul Aliko Dangote, who acknowledged that the refineries could by no means work once more regardless of $18 billion already spent.
Within the swimsuit, SERAP is asking the courtroom to concern an order of mandamus compelling the NNPCL to account for and clarify the lacking funds. The group additionally desires the courtroom to mandate the restoration and remittance of the allegedly diverted monies into the Federation Account.
Moreover, SERAP seeks a courtroom directive requiring the NNPCL to establish these accountable for the lacking funds, surcharge them accordingly, and hand them over to anti-corruption businesses for investigation and prosecution.
SERAP maintains that the allegations quantity to a gross violation of the general public belief and the Nigerian Structure, in addition to nationwide and worldwide anti-corruption legal guidelines.
The organisation argues that granting the reliefs sought would deal a blow to impunity, assist guarantee justice for Nigerians, and help within the restoration of essential public funds urgently wanted to rehabilitate the nation’s dysfunctional refineries.
Based on SERAP, the Auditor-Common’s findings level to a systemic failure in NNPCL’s accountability framework.
The group highlighted considerations that the lacking oil income has undermined Nigeria’s {economic} improvement, worsened poverty ranges, and led to elevated authorities borrowing.
The 2021 audit report, referenced in SERAP’s swimsuit, detailed a collection of economic irregularities. These embrace the unexplained deduction of ₦82.95 billion from crude oil and gasoline gross sales, ₦343.6 billion from home crude gross sales purportedly for pipeline upkeep, and ₦83.6 billion in miscellaneous revenue from NNPC joint ventures.
Further considerations had been raised over ₦204.8 billion in unjustified deductions from oil royalties, ₦3.7 billion allegedly paid to an organization as a shortfall on PMS cargo gross sales, and ₦28.6 billion in excellent bridging allowance from NNPC retail.
Different sums cited within the report embrace ₦13.5 billion in unpaid claims from main oil entrepreneurs, ₦15.2 billion owed by 26 entrepreneurs, and $29.6 million in unpaid royalties to the Division of Petroleum Assets. The NNPCL additionally reportedly failed to gather over $2.2 billion and ₦48.2 billion in excellent oil royalties from oil firms.
The Auditor-Common warned that these {financial} lapses could have considerably affected the funding of the 2021 nationwide funds and known as for full restoration of the lacking funds.
He additionally really helpful that suspects be handed over to related businesses such because the {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee (EFCC) and the Unbiased Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Fee (ICPC).
The swimsuit was filed on behalf of SERAP by its attorneys, Kolawole Oluwadare, Oluwakemi Oni, and Valentina Adegoke. No date has but been set for the listening to.
