Akeem Nafiu 
A rights organization, the SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to court for “failing to account for and explain the where – abouts of the alleged missing N825 billion and $2.5 billion meant for refinery rehabilitation and other oil revenues”.
The suit filed at the Federal High Court in La – gos followed the damning allegations documented in the 2021 audited report by the Auditor-General of the Federation, which was published on 27th November, 2024.
In the suit marked FHC/L/MISC/722/25 SERAP is seeking an order of mandamus to direct and compel the NNPCL to account for and explain the where – abouts of the alleged missing N825 billion and $2.5 billion of public funds meant for refinery rehabilitation and repair.
Besides, the organisation is also asking the court to direct and compel the NNPCL to recover and remit the alleged missing N825 billion and $2.5 billion of public funds meant for refinery rehabilitation and repair to the federation account.
SERAP is also asking the court to direct and compel the NNPCL to identify those responsible for the missing oil money, surcharge them for the full amount involved and hand them over to appropriate anticorruption agencies for investigation and prosecution.
In the suit, SERAP argued that the grim allegations by the AuditorGeneral, as well as the recent revelation by Aliko Dangote that NNPCL refineries may never work again, despite the $18 billion spent on them, suggest a grave violation of the public trust and the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, national anticorruption laws, and the country’s international human rights and anticorruption obligations.
