• Hausa Edition
  • Podcast
  • Conferences
  • LeVogue Magazine
  • Business News
  • Print Advert Rates
  • Online Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
Friday, June 6, 2025
Leadership Newspapers
Read in Hausa
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Leadership Newspapers
No Result
View All Result

Court Orders Ex-Minister, Umar-Farouk, To Account For N729bn

by Olugbenga Soyele
11 months ago
in Cover Stories
umar-farouk
Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram

Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered a former minister of humanitarian affairs, disasters management and social development, Sadia Umar-Farouk, to make public the details of how N729 billion was paid to 24.3 million poor Nigerians for six months.

Advertisement

Justice Dipeolu gave the order while delivering judgement in a Freedom of Information suit by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) seeking an order to compel the former minister to provide the list and details of the beneficiaries who received the payments, the number of states covered and the payments per state.

The judge issued an order of mandamus directing and compelling the minister to provide SERAP with details of how the beneficiaries have been selected and the mechanisms for the payments to the beneficiaries.

The court further ordered Umar-Farouk to explain the rationale for paying N5,000 to 24.3 million poor Nigerians, which translates to five percent of Nigeria’s budget of N13.6 trillion for 2021.

In the verdict, Justice Dipeolu, who held that the former minister did not give any reason for the refusal to disclose the details sought by SERAP, also dismissed the objections raised by the minister’s counsel and upheld the plaintiff’s arguments.

RELATED

ABU To Honour Uwais, Fika, Chihombori-Quao

JUST-IN: Ex-CJN Uwais Dies At 89

8 hours ago
Tinubu, Northern Governors Mourn As Prof Jibril Aminu Dies At 85

Tinubu, Northern Governors Mourn As Prof Jibril Aminu Dies At 85

15 hours ago

The judge further held that where a statute clearly provides for a particular act to be done or performed in a particular way, failure to perform the act as provided will not only be interpreted as delinquent conduct but will be interpreted as not complying with the statutory provision.

He stated, “The minister filed a preliminary objection to this suit dated the 4th of October 2022 and a counter-affidavit to SERAP’s motion on notice. I will first deal with the minister’s preliminary objection because it bothers on the jurisdiction of this Court to entertain this suit.

“The grounds upon which the preliminary objection was filed are whether this suit is not incompetent, having not commenced within 30 days after SERAP’s request for information was deemed denied.

“Having not complied with the provision of section 20 of the Freedom of Information, whether this Court can assume jurisdiction to entertain SERAP’s application.

“As arguments on both issues, the minister’s counsel submitted that by the provision of section 4,7(4) and 20 of the Freedom of Information Act, subject to lawful exceptions within the Act, a public institution has seven days to grant a request for information, failure of which would be deemed denial.

“SERAP’s request was deemed denied on 6th July, which is the expiration of 7 days. Therefore, SERAP has 30 days pursuant to section 20 of the Act to apply to this Court.

“SERAP’s 30 days within which to bring this suit expired on 5th of August 2021, whilst the motion on notice was filed on the 9th of November 2021, outside the 30 days stipulated by the Act. Consequently, this suit is statute barred.

“In response, SERAP’s counsel argued that this suit was not commenced via the motion of notice dated 8th November 2021. This suit was initiated by a motion exparte dated 13th July 2021 but filed on the 15th of July 2021, after the expiration of the 7 days period required of the minister to respond to the FOI request by SERAP.

“This is in compliance with section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act and Order 34 Rule 3(1) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019.

“The above are the submissions of counsel as regards the preliminary objection by the minister. I agree with SERAP’s counsel that the minister did not properly search the case file before filing the preliminary objection,” the judge held.


We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →

Join Our WhatsApp Channel

START EARNING US DOLLARS as a Nigerian ($35,000) monthly. Companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), business owners are in panic mode. Only the smart will make it. Click here


Tags: Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farooq
SendShareTweetShare
Previous Post

ECOWAS Must Fund Regional Security To Tackle Terrorism–Tinubu

Next Post

RACKETEERING…Air Passengers Lament As Touts Take Over Ticketing

Olugbenga Soyele

Olugbenga Soyele

You May Like

ABU To Honour Uwais, Fika, Chihombori-Quao
News

JUST-IN: Ex-CJN Uwais Dies At 89

2025/06/06
Tinubu, Northern Governors Mourn As Prof Jibril Aminu Dies At 85
Cover Stories

Tinubu, Northern Governors Mourn As Prof Jibril Aminu Dies At 85

2025/06/06
Oko Town Union Dissolved Over Controversial Appointment
Cover Stories

Anambra Guber: INEC Clears Soludo, Ukachukwu, Moghalu, 13 Others

2025/06/05
How 15 People Were Killed In Jigawa Communal Clash – Residents
Cover Stories

Don’t Ignore US Terror Alert, Experts Warn Federal Gov’t

2025/06/05
meter
Cover Stories

Faulty Meters: Angst As DisCos Migrate Consumers To Estimated Billing

2025/06/05
2027: APC Rules Out Automatic Tickets For Akpabio, Abbas, Other Lawmakers
Cover Stories

2027: APC Rules Out Automatic Tickets For Akpabio, Abbas, Other Lawmakers

2025/06/04
Leadership Conference advertisement

LATEST

Eid-al-Adha: No Nation Rises Without Unity, Sacrifice — Shettima

Makinde Advocates 6-year Single-term For Political Office Holders

Fire Guts Section Of Kano Phone Market On Eid Day

Hardship: El-Rufai, Amaechi Owe Nigerians Apology — Shehu Sani

Raphinha Named 2024/2025 La Liga Player Of The Season

Benue Gov’t Directs Residents To Vacate Flood-prone Areas

Gabriel Signs New Long-term Deal At Arsenal 

Diphtheria: 4,017 Persons Vaccinated As Death Toll Hits 10 In Imo

PICTORIAL: Gov Eno Visits Akpabio With 8 Govs, Others After Defection To APC

Defection: APC Welcomes Gov Eno, Assures Full Accommodation

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.