Court Strikes Out NDDC Audit Case
A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has struck out a case seeking access to the forensic audit report of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
The suit was filed by civil society group Social Action against the Attorney General of the Federation over the release of the document. The ruling was delivered on Tuesday after years of legal exchanges on the matter.
The case began in 2022 after the group’s request for the audit report was turned down by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
The plaintiffs later adjusted their filing following the scrapping of the ministry by President Bola Tinubu, shifting the action to the Attorney General as the legal representative of the federal government.
In his ruling, Justice Turaki Mohammed held that the case could not stand because it was directed at a government body that no longer exists.
The court therefore struck out the suit instead of dismissing it outright. Counsel to the plaintiffs said the decision left room for a fresh filing and vowed to continue pursuing access to the report.
They also confirmed plans to return to court to continue the legal push.
