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Anti-Graft Group Seeks N500,000 Fine Against Firm Over Alleged FOI Act Breach
An anti-corruption civil society organisation has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to impose a N500,000 fine on Lee Engineering and Construction Company Limited for allegedly violating the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act by refusing to disclose records relating to publicly funded oil and gas projects.
The request is contained in judicial review proceedings for which Justice Binta Nyako granted leave on June 25, 2026, following an ex parte motion filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Conference of Civil Society for Transparency and Accountability (CCSTA).
The suit arose after Lee Engineering allegedly failed to respond to a Freedom of Information request dated April 14, 2026, seeking information on several projects executed for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and its subsidiaries.
According to court documents, the civil society organisation is demanding records relating to refinery rehabilitation contracts, the Utorogu Gas Plant expansion, the Assa North-Ohaji South (ANOH) gas project, emergency pipeline repairs, environmental impact assessments, host community development expenditures, procurement approvals and compliance with local content obligations.
By granting leave, the court held that the application raised issues deserving judicial determination, paving the way for substantive proceedings on whether the company breached its obligations under the FOI Act.
The litigation comes amid growing concerns over transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, where opaque procurement practices, contract inflation and weak oversight have continued to attract criticism from stakeholders.
Counsel to the applicant, Joseph Chukwuemeka, argued that poor procurement practices in the sector have profound consequences for the nation’s economy.
He said strategic projects that are poorly managed, delayed or inflated often compel the government to borrow additional funds to finance cost overruns and abandoned projects, thereby worsening Nigeria’s debt burden and limiting resources available for critical sectors such as education, healthcare and social protection.
According to him, procurement inefficiencies also fuel inflation by undermining domestic energy production, increasing dependence on imported petroleum products and exposing the economy to foreign exchange volatility.
He added that higher energy costs inevitably cascade through the economy, driving up transportation costs, food prices and the overall cost of living for millions of Nigerians.
Speaking on the development, CCSTA Chairman, Comrade Japhet Onlede, said transparency in oil and gas procurement was indispensable to economic stability, debt sustainability, energy security and public confidence.
“Nigeria cannot continue to accumulate debt while citizens remain in darkness, refineries remain dysfunctional and critical gas infrastructure projects remain shrouded in secrecy.
Transparency in oil and gas procurement is not optional; it is indispensable to economic stability, debt sustainability, energy security and public trust,” he said.
Among the reliefs sought before the court, the organisation is asking for an order convicting Lee Engineering for the alleged breach of the FOI Act and imposing a N500,000 fine, payable into the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account.
In the alternative, it is seeking an order compelling the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute the company for the alleged violations of the Act.
CCSTA argued that private entities performing public functions or utilising public funds are bound by the provisions of the FOI Act and cannot lawfully refuse to disclose information of public interest.
The organisation maintained that a successful prosecution would send a strong message that contractors handling public resources must comply with transparency laws or face legal and reputational consequences.
Onlede said the group would continue to deploy strategic litigation to ensure that public resources are managed openly, responsibly and in the best interest of Nigerians.
“Accountability is not an option in a democracy; it is a constitutional imperative,” he added.
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Kwara: Security Team Kills Two Bandits, Rescues Two Kidnap Victims
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
A security team, comprising operatives of DSS and forest guards, has rescued two victims of abduction in a forest between Oba Isin/Owa Onire area of isin and Ifelodun Local Government Areas of Kwara State.
The rescued victims are 16-year-old Fatima Azeez and Ibrahim Azeez who is five-year old.
The team also eliminated two armed bandits, while others escaped with severe injuries as the security forces stormed their hideouts, according to a report by DSS and local authorities.
The security team also recovered several items from the kidnappers, including one Ak-47 rifle; one single barrel; one fully loaded magazine with nine empty; mini-solar panel; and food items.
The rescue operation is connected to the multi-agency counterterrorism and anti-kidnapping efforts of the government.
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Kwara: Police Launch Investigations Into Killing Of Farmer On Farmland
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Kwara State Police Command has commenced full-scale investigations into the killing of a farmer, Mr Azeez Garba, whose body was discovered on his farmland along the Owa-Onire axis, the boundary between Isanlu-Isin and Owu-Isin in Isin Local Government Area of the State.
The Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, described the murder as “cruel, senseless and unacceptable,” and directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to intensify efforts to identify and arrest those behind the attack.
According to the police, preliminary investigations showed that the deceased left home for his farm in the morning but did not return, prompting his family members and local vigilantes to organise a search.
The search party reportedly found his motorcycle parked on the farmland before discovering his lifeless body a short distance away. Police said the victim had sustained deep machete cuts.
Reacting to the incident, CP Adekimi ordered investigators to deploy all available intelligence and investigative resources to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killing.
“The killing is cruel, senseless and unacceptable,” the commissioner of Police said, assuring residents that the command would leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Although no suspect had been arrested as of Monday, the command said all available leads were being diligently pursued.
The police also assured the bereaved family, the people of Isin Local Government Area and the general public that investigators were working tirelessly to track down everyone connected with the crime.
“The Kwara State Police Command remains unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the state and will not relent until every person responsible for this reprehensible act is brought before the law,” the statement added.
The statement was signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police.
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Kwara: Joint Security Team Arrests Alleged Cultist, Recovers Firearm
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
A coordinated security operation involving the Kwara State Police Command, other security agencies and the Kwara State Polytechnic Security Unit has led to the arrest of a suspected cultist, Agboola Olamilekan, with a locally fabricated pistol recovered from him in Ilorin.
The operation, carried out as part of ongoing efforts to combat cultism and violent crimes across the state, was described by the police as another breakthrough in intelligence-driven policing aimed at dismantling criminal networks and reducing the circulation of illegal firearms.
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, in a statement issued on Wednesday on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, said the suspect was apprehended during the joint operation while in possession of the firearm.
According to the statement, the operation is part of the Command’s sustained strategy to disrupt cult-related activities and deny criminal elements the opportunity to operate within the state.
Commenting on the development, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ojo Adekimi, reaffirmed the Command’s determination to intensify the fight against cultism and other violent crimes.
“Every successful operation represents another step towards dismantling criminal networks and enhancing public safety across the state through proactive and intelligence-led policing,” the commissioner said.
The police disclosed that investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest other suspected members of the criminal network linked to the suspect.
The Command added that it remains committed to advancing the policing vision of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, through intelligence-led policing, strategic collaboration with relevant stakeholders and sustained operations aimed at ensuring that those responsible for threatening the peace and security of Kwara State are brought to justice.
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