A civil society group has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop the Federal Government from releasing $396.6 million allegedly linked to consultants associated with Senator Ned Nwoko over the long-running Paris Club refund dispute.
The suit was filed by the Registered Trustees of the George Uboh Whistleblowers Network, which is asking the court to declare the planned payment unlawful and prevent any further disbursement pending the determination of the case.
Joined in the suit are the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Minister of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Finance Incorporated, Linas International Limited, and Senator Ned Nwoko.
In court documents marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1723/2025, the group is challenging the legality of the proposed payment, arguing that it relates to a matter they say was already settled in 2018 when consultants allegedly accepted $350 million as full and final settlement.
The plaintiffs contend that reopening the claim for an additional $396.6 million amounts to duplication and could undermine public financial accountability.
They are asking the court for a perpetual injunction restraining government officials from making the payment, as well as an order nullifying key correspondence that paved the way for the renewed approval process.
The group is also demanding whistleblower compensation, insisting it is entitled to 5 percent of the disputed sum—about $19.8 million—under Nigeria’s whistleblowing policy, claiming its intervention helped expose the alleged irregularity.
However, court filings show that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had advised President Bola Tinubu to approve the payment, describing it as an outstanding judgment debt arising from earlier legal processes.
The Attorney-General maintained that part of the consultancy fees had already been paid, leaving the balance now being disputed.
He also noted that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum had withdrawn its earlier objections and now supports the settlement of the outstanding claims.
The case adds another layer to the long-running Paris Club refund controversy, which has seen multiple legal battles involving consultants, state governments, and federal authorities over entitlement claims running into hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Federal High Court is expected to set a date for hearing the substantive suit.