A non-governmental organisation, concerned with human rights and good governance related issues, HEDA Resources Center, has filed a suit to compel the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), to release its investigation report on those indicted in the Panama Papers scandal.
In the suit, the organisation is seeking an order of mandamus directing the bureau to disclose information on its investigation into assets and secret companies owned and kept in tax haven by Senate President Bukola Saraki and others exposed in the Panama Papers.
The group is seeking the reliefs in pursuant to section 15(5) of the Nigerian constitution and section 2, 4, and 31 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act which repose in the organisation the obligation to contribute to the eradication of corrupt practices and abuse of power.
The group said that the refusal of CCB to furnish HEDA with the required information was offensive to the rule of law.
The group stated in its written address: “It is in the overall public interest for the respondent to diligently investigate and publicize the outcome of its investigation into allegations of acquisition and ownership of assets abroad by past and present officials like the one exposed in the Panama Papers.
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“We urge your lordship to grant leave to the applicant to commence judicial review by way of mandamus to compel the respondent to adhere to the spirit and letters of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 by making available the requested information to the applicant.”
It would be recalled that in 2016, investigations into the Panama Papers by International Consortium of Journalists revealed that the current Senate President, Mr. Bukola Saraki, former Senate President, Mr. David Mark, and other prominent Nigerians allegedly operated secret companies in a tax haven illegally.
The media uproar that followed the scandal forced the Presidency to order the investigation of public officials indicted in the papers.
This was confirmed by the then CCB Chairman, Mr. Sam Saba, who said the bureau had received a directive from the Presidency to investigate public officials enmeshed in the alleged offshore malpractice.
Since then, the report has not been made public.
Even when HEDA requested for a report of the investigation conducted by CCB in November 2017 it got no response.
