The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued President Bola Tinubu over the recent increase of petrol price to N845 per litre. It is seeking a reduction of the price to N600 per litre. SERAP announced this action in a statement on Sunday. It filed the suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday through its lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa. The suit, with number FHC/ABJ/CS/1361/2024, is seeking to direct the NNPCL to reverse the apparently unlawful increase in the pump price of petrol to N600 per litre. The suit was also instituted for the failure of the President to investigate allegations of corruption and mismanagement leveled against the NNPCL. SERAP is urging 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 is also urging the court to direct the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and relevant anti-corruption agencies to investigate the allegations of corruption and mismanagement within the NNPC. SERAP urged the court to deal precisely with anyone suspected to be responsible for the alleged corruption and mismanagement in the NNPCL. It said the increase in petrol prices constituted a fundamental breach of constitutional guarantees and the country’s international human rights obligations. “Corruption in the oil sector and the lack of transparency and accountability in the use of public funds to support NNPC operations have led to persistent and unlawful hikes in petrol prices. “Increasing petrol prices at a time when millions of Nigerians face worsening economic conditions is entirely inconsistent with constitutional and international obligations to ensure minimum living conditions compatible with human dignity.” No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.
