The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has sued President Muhammadu Buhari “for failing to investigate allegations that over N1.48 trillion allegedly spent on maintaining the country’s four refineries between 2015 and 2020 may have been stolen, mismanaged, or diverted into private pockets.”
Nigeria spent N2.3trn on foreign refineries to process oil in 13 months
The suit was filed last week at the Federal High Court in Lagos State on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Adelanke Aremo.
According to the group, the Federal Government spent N10.23 billion in June 2020 on three refineries that processed no crude.
In addition, the government approved $1.5 billion (approximately N600 billion) in 2021 to repair the Port Harcourt refinery. Despite massive investment, refineries remain idle as fuel scarcity persists.
Drama,reality and illegal refineries
SERAP is suing for “an order of mandamus directing and compelling President Buhari to investigate the spending on Nigeria’s refineries, and alleged mismanagement of public funds budgeted for maintaining the refineries since 1999.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.