Lawyer Sues Buhari Over $800m Safety-net Loan

The Federal High Court in Lagos has been petitioned by a lawyer, Mr. Abdulganeey Imran, a human rights attorney located in Lagos, to enjoin the federal government from accepting $800 million or any other amount for the purpose of funding the National Social Safety Network Program.

The program aims to disperse the $800 million loan to 10.2 million impoverished Nigerians, who will get N5,000 each month to lessen the financial impact of the anticipated elimination of subsidies.

However, the attorney is asking the court to enjoin the President from sharing, distributing, tampering with, or otherwise dealing with any such loan of $800 million given to the respondents in the lawsuit marked FHC/L/C5/908/23.

He contended that “it is not economically viable for the respondents to continue to obtain and accumulate loans that were purely meant for consumption rather than for capital projects when a whopping sum of N6.31tn was budgeted for debt services in the 2023 appropriation bill alone.

“The main purpose of requesting an additional loan, as stated by the 1st respondent in his letter to the third respondent, was not captured in the 2023 Appropriation Bill as passed by the National Assembly.”

Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retired), the president, requested National Assembly permission for a new $800 million loan to finance NSSNP.

The Attorney General of the Federation, the Minister of Justice, and the Senate President have all joined as respondents to the lawsuit.

The applicant justified his request by arguing that the current Buhari administration’s mandate to obtain “this whopping sum of money” expires on May 29.

The applicant claimed that there was no situation that required or justified acting quickly to process and obtain the $800 million, and that the President’s letter to the Senate President did not make any indications regarding the urgency of the purpose for which the alleged loan was being sought.

Justice Peter Lifu has been given the case, although no hearing date has been set.