{"id":128477,"date":"2026-07-18T15:56:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T14:56:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=128477"},"modified":"2026-07-18T15:56:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T14:56:05","slug":"court-clears-cso-to-challenge-alleged-secrecy-over-abia-lg-funds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/court-clears-cso-to-challenge-alleged-secrecy-over-abia-lg-funds\/","title":{"rendered":"Court Clears CSO to Challenge Alleged Secrecy Over Abia LG Funds"},"content":{"rendered":"
By John Azu<\/strong><\/div>\n
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A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted leave to a civil society organisation to institute judicial review proceedings against officials of the Abia State Government and the state’s 17 local government councils over their alleged refusal to disclose information on the receipt and utilisation of local government funds under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).<\/p>\n

Justice E. U. Akpan gave the approval on Friday after holding that the applications filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Civil Society Observatory for Constitutional and Legal Compliance (CSOCLC) were meritorious.<\/p>\n

The ruling clears the way for the organisation to file and serve substantive motions in 19 separate suits seeking to compel compliance with the FOIA and enforce accountability in the management of local government allocations.<\/p>\n

The suits stem from a series of Freedom of Information requests submitted by the CSO’s counsel, Nnamdi U. Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe, to the 17 local government councils in Abia State, as well as several state and federal agencies, requesting detailed records of local government revenues and expenditure.<\/p>\n

According to the organisation, the requests covered monthly allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), Value Added Tax (VAT) receipts, budgets, procurement records, audit reports, expenditure schedules, bank account details and bank statements relating to the finances of the councils.<\/p>\n

Named as respondents are the Chairman of the Abia State House of Assembly Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; the Accountant-General of Abia State, Deaconess Njum Uma-Onyemenam; the Permanent Secretary, Abia State Ministry of Finance, Agatha Obichiakwalam; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lady Oge Maduka; the Secretary to the Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Rashida Jumoke Monguno; the Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr. Shamseldeen B. Ogunjimi; the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); and the Managing Director\/Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Yetunde Oni.<\/p>\n

In the substantive suit, the CSO is asking the court to compel criminal proceedings against officials alleged to have violated Section 7(5) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, which criminalises the wrongful denial of access to public information.<\/p>\n

Among the reliefs sought are:<\/p>\n

“A declaration that the failure\/refusal of the 1st to 6th Respondents to furnish the information requested by the Applicant in its FOIA requests constitutes a deemed refusal and a flagrant violation and breach of the Applicant’s rights under the FOIA and the Constitution.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The organisation is also seeking:<\/p>\n

“A declaration that the 1st to 6th Respondent’s wrongful denial of access to the information requested by the Applicant constitutes an offence under Section 7(5) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 and that each of the 1st to 6th Respondents is liable on conviction to a fine of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00).”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In addition, the CSO is praying the court for:<\/p>\n

“An order of mandamus directing the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation (7th Respondent) to initiate or cause the initiation of criminal proceedings against the defaulting 1st to 6th Respondents for the criminal offence created under Section 7(5) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 within seven (7) days of the grant of the order of mandamus by the honourable court.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The group is equally asking for:<\/p>\n

“An order awarding the sum of Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000.00) as exemplary damages against each of the 1st to 6th Respondents, severally in favour of the Applicant.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is also seeking:<\/p>\n

“An order awarding the sum of Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000.00) as costs of this action against each of the 1st to 6th Respondents, severally in favour of the Applicant.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The CSO said the litigation is intended to strengthen transparency and accountability in local government administration, particularly following the landmark July 11, 2024, Supreme Court judgment affirming the financial autonomy of local governments.<\/p>\n

According to the organisation, the outcome of the case could shape the next phase of public oversight of local government finances by testing the enforcement provisions of the Freedom of Information Act and clarifying the obligations of public officials to disclose information on the management of public funds.<\/p>\n

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