The Network Against Corruption and Trafficking Foundation (NACAT) has charged the Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Folashodun Shonubi, and a Deputy Governor of the apex bank, Edward Adamu, with failing to declare their assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

The Chairman, the Code of Conduct Bureau, has also been named as a defendant in the suit brought by the group’s legal counsel, Festus Keyamo Chambers.

The applicant based the suit on Sections 1(1) and (2) of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act of 2011.

Specifically, the group in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1182/2023 dated August 25, 2023, is alleging that Shonubi refused 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.

Similarly, Adamu is accused of failing to report 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 submitted in support of the originating motion by one Stanley Ugagbe, the operational Manager of NACAT, the respondents had adamantly refused to provide them with the papers.

According to Ugagbe, the second 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.

The third respondent is also identified as a Director in the following companies, according to the deponent: Pinnacle Solutions Network Ltd – RC698688; Elad Global Resources Limited – RC933366; and Global World Frontier Services Nig. Ltd – RC772500.

According to Ugagbe, as public officers, the second and third respondents have statutory obligations to declare their interests in the above-mentioned companies in their Asset Declaration Forms while serving as Acting Governor and Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, respectively.

“That the Applicant has a right under the Freedom of Information Act, (FoI) 2011, to access the Assets and Liabilities Declaration Forms of the second and third respondents, in the records of the first respondent, in relation to the declaration of the second and third respondents’ interests in the said companies.”

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

The applicant claimed that the court’s involvement was required to compel the first and second respondents to grant the applicant’s request in compliance with Section 1 (3) of the Freedom of Information Act.

The applicants based their requests on letters dated July 3, 2023, and August 14, 2023, in which they requested the respondents to submit the aforementioned documents, but they refused.

“The respondents have failed, refused, and neglected to produce the requested documents, in violation of section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011,” the lawyer added.

As public officers, the second and third respondents, according to counsel, have statutory requirements to report their holdings in the entities in their Asset Declaration Forms while serving as Acting Governor and Deputy Governor of the CBN, respectively.

NACAT claimed to be a non-governmental organization, a pro-democracy civil society organization whose goals include aiding the global war on corruption, financial crimes, terrorism, and economic sabotage.

Meanwhile, no date has been set for the suit’s hearing.