The Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Folashodun Shonubi, and a Deputy Governor of the apex bank, Edward Adamu, has been dragged before a Federal High Court in Abuja, over alleged failure to declare their assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
The suit was filed by civil group, the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking Foundation (NACAT) who also joined the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau as a defendant in the case.
The group in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1182/2023 dated August 25, 2023 and filed by the legal counsel, Festus Keyamo Chambers, the applicant premised the suit on Section 1(1) and (2) of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011, accused Sonubi of refusing to declare his interest in the following companies: Intameks Ltd– RC13086; Kirby’s Place Resources Ltd – RC1215845; The Pekaboo Company Ltd – RC1395011; Ehlkuhile Investment Ltd– RC857442; Iscopeng Ltd – RC1431044; and Kilima Technologies Ltd – RC1218250.
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The group also accused Adamu of failing to declare his interest in the following Companies: Pinnacle Solutions Network Ltd – RC698688; Elad Global Resources Limited – RC933366 and Global World Frontier Services Nig. Ltd – RC772500.
According to an affidavit in support of the originating motion deposed to by one Stanley Ugagbe, the operational Manager of NACAT, the group alleged that the respondents had vehemently refused to avail them of the documents.
Ugagbe posited that the 2nd respondent, (ag, CBN Gov) is listed as a Director in the following Companies: Intameks Ltd– RC13086; Kirby’s Place Resources Ltd – RC1215845; The Pekaboo Company Ltd – RC1395011; Ehlkuhile Investment Ltd – RC857442; Iscopeng Ltd – RC1431044; and Kilima Technologies Ltd – RC1218250.
He also claimed that the 3rd respondent is listed as a Director in the following Companies: Pinnacle Solutions Network Ltd – RC698688; Elad Global Resources Limited – RC933366 and Global World Frontier Services Nig. Ltd – RC772500.
Ugagbe averred that as public officers, the 2nd and 3rd respondents have statutory obligations to declare in their Asset Declaration Forms, the interests they have in the above-named companies, while assuming their respective offices as Acting Governor and Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
“That the Applicant has a right under the Freedom of Information Act, (FoI) 2011, to access the Assets and Liabilities Declaration Forms of the 2nd and 3rd respondents, in the records of the 1st respondent, with respect to declaration of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents’ interests in the said companies.
“That the applicant has made demand under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 to the Respondents to produce their Assets and Liabilities Declaration Forms, where the 2nd and 3rd Respondents declared their interests in the said companies, but that the respondents failed, refused, and neglected to produce the said documents.
The prosecuting counsel submitted that it needed the intervention of the court to compel the 1st and 2nd respondents to grant the request of the applicant, in accordance with Section 1 (3) of the Freedom of Information Act.
They said that they had written letters dated July 3, 2023, and August 14, 2023, requesting the respondents to produce the said documents, but they refused.
“The respondents have failed, refused and neglected to produce the said documents requested from them, contrary to section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011” the counsel stated.
As public officers, the counsel submitted that the 2nd and 3rd respondents have statutory obligations to declare in their Asset Declaration Forms, the interests they have in the companies while assuming their respective offices as Acting Governor and Deputy Governor of the CBN.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
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