The Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the release of ₦62.55 billion approved as a cost variation for projects under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).
In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1524/26, OLI argued that the projects had already been completed, making the additional funding unnecessary.
The defendants in the case include HYPREP, its Project Coordinator, the Chairman of its Board of Trustees, the Head of its Accounts Department, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Environment.
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In a statement signed by its Convener, Dr. Douglas Fabeke, the group alleged that the approval did not follow due process and raised concerns over how public funds meant for the Ogoni clean-up are being managed.
OLI said it had submitted hundreds of documents to support its claims. It also alleged that a National Assembly oversight probe uncovered over ₦400 billion in unaccounted project funds, but the findings have not been made public.
The group said the lawsuit is aimed at promoting transparency and accountability, noting that many Ogoni communities are still battling pollution despite years of clean-up efforts. It also called for the removal of the Minister of Environment over what it described as poor oversight.
HYPREP and the other defendants had not responded to the allegations as of the time this report was filed.
