The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu, accusing his administration of failing to reverse the hike in petrol prices.
In a statement released on Sunday, SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare revealed that the suit also addresses the government’s failure to investigate allegations of corruption and mismanagement within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, along with the NNPCL, are named as respondents in the case.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1361/2024, was filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
SERAP wants the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct the NNPCL to reverse the unjust, illegal, unconstitutional and unreasonable increase in the price of petrol from N845 per litre to N600 per litre.”
It also asked the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPC.
The group seeks an order “to compel President Tinubu to direct Fagbemi and appropriate anticorruption agencies to prosecute anyone suspected to be responsible for the alleged corruption and mismanagement in the NNPCL.
“The increase in petrol price is causing immense hardship to those less well-off. As the economic situation in Nigeria deteriorates, the increase is pushing people further into poverty.
“Holding the NNPC to account for alleged corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector would serve legitimate public interests.”