Court Orders Osun Traditional Chief To Sue CBN For Withholding Information

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on 17th April, 2023, has granted High Chief Dauda Ajadosu, an Abuja based legal practitioner leave to file a suit under the Freedom of Information Act against the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Granting his prayers, the court ruled that the Applicant can sue the apex bank for the latter’s refusal and failure to grant the applicant access to some information he had earlier requested from the bank.

From the affidavit in support of the applicant’s motion for leave, it was gathered that the applicant had earlier demanded for an access to some information bothering on the employment into the services of the apex bank since 2015 till date.

The applicant’s letter of request which was exhibited before the court is dated 15th November, 2022. In his verifying affidavit filed in support of the application deposed to by the applicant himself, the applicant stated that upon receipt of his request routed vide the FOIA, the CBN promised him through the bank’s letter dated 8th December, 2022 that it would make the information available in due course.

In its further reply to the applicant’s letter dated 14th March, 2023, the Respondent expressly denied access to the information when it stated that the bank could not process the information, an event which gave birth to the suit before the court.

The applicant had approached the Federal High Court Abuja in order to compel the apex bank to make the information available in line with the statutory requirements of the FOIA.

At the hearing of the applicant’s ex parte motion in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/385/2023 between Chief Dauda Ajadosu and Central Bank of Nigeria, Hon Justice A. R Mohammed granted all the applicant’s prayers contained in his application for leave for judicial review for mandamus. The court also ordered that hearing notice should be served on the Respondent against the next date. Freedom of Information Act, 2012 is the legal regime which grants Nigerians a legal right to request access into the information of public institutions in Nigeria.

While speaking on what prompted the suit described as public interest litigation, High Chief Ajadosu stated that the rate at which the federal government MDAs indulge in secret recruitment is alarming what used give the common graduates gleam opportunity has led to limited hope for them to get employed into some MDAs regarded as lucrative and well paid.

According to him, “the palpable shocking waves of ‘japa syndrome” presently bedeviling our system is due to lack of transparency in the recruitment exercises into the so called juicy and lucrative FG MDAs. A situation that has made it unfavorable if not impossible for common graduates to secure employment in a free, meritorious and competitive environment. This situation has made some graduates to play second fiddle in the Nigerian employment ecosystem”, Chief Ajadosu remarked.

The return date for the case is 2nd May, 2023 when the court will hear parties in the case.