The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has taken legal action against President Bola Tinubu, urging a reduction in the price of petrol from N845 per litre to N600 per litre.
According to The PUNCH, the lawsuit, filed by SERAP’s lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa at the Federal High Court in Abuja, is challenging the government over its failure to reverse the recent hike in fuel prices.
The case, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1361/2024, also addresses the alleged lack of action regarding corruption and mismanagement claims within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, along with the NNPCL, are listed as respondents in the suit.
According to a statement released by SERAP, the organization is asking the court to compel President Tinubu to direct the NNPCL to reverse what it described as an “unjust, illegal, unconstitutional, and unreasonable” increase in petrol prices.
The group also demands that the president instruct the Attorney-General and relevant anti-corruption agencies to investigate the allegations of corruption within the NNPCL.
The statement reads, “The increase in petrol prices is causing immense hardship for Nigerians, and there must be accountability.
We are urging the court to compel the investigation and prosecution of anyone responsible for corruption and mismanagement in the NNPCL, provided there is sufficient evidence.”
Oil marketers have expressed frustration over the NNPCL’s dominance in the petrol market, calling for direct access to products from the Dangote refinery.
However, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, announced on Friday that the NNPCL would remain the sole buyer of petrol from the Dangote refinery.
Despite this, the NNPCL clarified that the refinery is free to sell its products to any marketer, although marketers maintain that the final price of petrol from the Dangote refinery has yet to be disclosed. For now, independent marketers are required to purchase petrol through the NNPCL.
In its lawsuit, SERAP emphasized that the increase in fuel prices represents a violation of Nigerians’ constitutional rights and international obligations.
“Corruption in the oil sector, combined with a lack of transparency and accountability in the use of public funds to support NNPC operations, has led to persistent and unlawful hikes in petrol prices,” the organization noted.
SERAP added, “Increasing petrol prices at a time when millions of Nigerians are grappling with worsening economic conditions is inconsistent with the government’s duty to ensure minimum living conditions compatible with human dignity.”
The organization highlighted that the NNPCL recently raised the price of petrol at its retail outlets to N855 per litre, up from around N600. In some cases, the price has reportedly exceeded N900 per litre.
This price hike follows fuel shortages caused by suppliers refusing to import products for the NNPCL due to an alleged $6 billion debt.
SERAP also cited reports from the Auditor-General of the Federation, which documented that the NNPCL had failed to remit $2.04 billion and N164 billion in oil revenues to the public treasury.
In response to the ongoing fuel crisis, the NNPCL announced on Saturday that it had mobilized 300 trucks to lift petrol from the Dangote refinery.
NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye confirmed this development, saying, “NNPC Ltd trucks are arriving at the Dangote refinery in preparation for the scheduled petrol loading on Sunday, September 15, 2024. By the end of today (Saturday), at least 300 trucks will be stationed at the refinery’s fuel loading gantry.”
Despite the mobilisation of trucks, oil marketers pointed out that the price at which petrol would be sold from the Dangote refinery remains undisclosed. They reiterated that, for now, the NNPCL is the sole buyer of the product from the refinery.
No date has been set for the hearing of SERAP’s lawsuit.
