Group sues acting CBN governor, others over failure to declare assets

Network Against Corruption and Trafficking Foundation (NACAT) has filed a lawsuit against Mr Folashodun Shonubi, acting governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Mr. Edward Adamu, deputy governor of the bank, for allegedly failing to disclose their assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau was also named as a defendant in the lawsuit brought by NACAT’s legal representative, John Ainetor of Festus Keyamo Chambers.

The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act of 2011’s Sections 1(1) and (2) served as the basis for the applicant’s lawsuit.

The suit was marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1182/2023 and dated August 25, 2023.

An affidavit in support of the originating motion ex parte, deposed to by Stanley Ugagbe, the operational manager of NACAT, alleged that the respondents vehemently refused to disclose documents.

As public officers, Ugagbe said the second and third respondents have statutory obligations to declare in their Assets Declaration Forms, the interests they have in named companies, while assuming their respective offices as acting Governor and Deputy Governor.

He said: “The applicant has a right under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, to access the Assets and Liabilities Declaration Forms of the second and third respondents in the records of the first respondent, with respect to declaration of the second and third respondents’ interests in the said companies.

“The applicant has made a demand under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 to the respondents for them to produce the Assets and Liabilities Declaration Forms, where the second and third respondents declared their interests in the said companies, but the respondents failed, refused and neglected to produce the said documents.”

According to the requester, court action was required in order to compel the first and second responses to comply with the applicant’s request in compliance with Section 1 (3) of the Freedom of Information Act.

The applicant based its requests on the fact that it had sent letters to the respondents, dated July 3, 2023, and August 14, 2023, asking them to turn over the papers, but they had refused.