NACAT Drags Acting CBN Gov, others to Court over Alleged Refusal to Declare Assets

Network against Corruption and Trafficking Foundation (NACAT), a civil group, has sued Mr. Folashodun Shonubi, acting governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Mr. Edward Adamu, deputy governor of the bank, before a Federal High Court Abuja for allegedly failing to declare their assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

Also, joined as defendant in the suit filed by NACAT’s legal counsel, John Ainetor of Festus Keyamo Chambers, is the chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau.

The applicant premised the suit on Section 1(1) and (2) of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.

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.”

The applicant submitted that it needed intervention of the court to compel the first and second respondents to grant the request of the applicant, in accordance with Section 1 (3) of the Freedom of Information Act.

The applicant predicated its prayers on the ground that it had written letters, dated July 3, 2023 and August 14, 2023, requesting the respondents to produce the documents but they refused.