Bullet Proof Cars: Court orders First Bank to disclose details of loan to NCAA
Adetokunbo Fakeye
Justice Mohammed Yunusa of a Federal High Court, Lagos on Tuesday ordered First Bank of Nigeria Plc., to disclose details of a loan facility it granted to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) over alleged purchase of some bullet proof cars.
The judge gave this order while delivering his judgment in suit instituted by Enough Is Enough Nigeria against First bank over its refusal to disclose the information requested by the organisation.
Justice Yunusa also gave an order of mandamus compelling First Bank to grant access to or make available to the organisation the information it requested, in a letter dated Oct. 30, 2013.
EIE Nigeria had written an application under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act on Oct. 30, 2013, requesting the disclosure of such information.
The suit was filed on their behalf on Jan. 9, 2014 by Mr Ayodeji Acquah of Media Rights Agenda’s Network of Freedom of Information lawyers.
In that suit, EIE is praying the court for the declaration that the failure and/or refusal of the First Bank to grant access to or make available to EIE the information it requested in its letter amounts to wrongful denial of access to information under Section 7(5) of the FOI Act.
It is also praying for a declaration that the failure and/or refusal by the First Bank to give EIE a written notice that access to all or part of the information requested would not be granted and stating reasons for the denial and the section of the FOI Act upon which the bank relied upon in denying EIE access such information, amounts to a flagrant violation of Section 4(b), 7(1), (2), and (3) of the FOI Act and is therefore wrongful.
