The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu for allegedly failing to look into claims that over $15 billion in oil income and N200 billion are missing and unaccounted for.

“An order of mandamus to direct and compel President Tinubu to probe the allegations that US$15 billion of oil revenue, and N200 billion budgeted to repair and maintain the refineries in Nigeria are missing and unaccounted for,” is what the suit, filed on Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, bears.

Additionally, SERAP requests “an order of mandamus to compel President Tinubu to direct relevant anti-corruption agencies to investigate allegations of corruption involving State Owned Enterprises (SOE), the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited, and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NPDC).”

“The public has a right to expect justice and responsibility in response to these grave accusations. If the requested reliefs are granted, the offenders’ impunity will end, and the victims of corruption will receive justice.

“The claims of corruption compiled by NEITI impede Nigeria’s economic growth, keep the vast majority of its citizens impoverished, and deny them opportunities.

“Unless the President is directed and compelled to get to the bottom of these damning revelations, suspected perpetrators would continue to enjoy impunity for their crimes and enjoy the fruits of their crimes.

“Many years of allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the spending of oil revenues and impunity of perpetrators have undermined public trust and confidence in governments at all levels.

“The findings by NEITI suggest a grave violation of the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], national anticorruption laws, and the country’s obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption.

“SERAP is seeking an order of mandamus to direct and compel President Tinubu to put in place mechanisms for accountability and transparency in the oil sector.

“Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on the government to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the constitution. Section 15(5) imposes the responsibility on the government to ‘abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power’ in the country.

“Under Section 16(1) of the Constitution, the government has a responsibility to ‘secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity.’

“Section 16(2) further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good’”, part of the suit reads.