April 14, 2026 | NEWS | SUNTV GLOBAL INVESTIGATION
A civil society group has dragged the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government to court in a bid to stop the proposed payment of $396.6 million linked to the long-running Paris Club refund controversy.
The suit also names the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, alongside the Federal Ministry of Finance Incorporated and other parties, including Senator Ned Nwoko, as defendants.
The case was filed by the Registered Trustees of the George Uboh Whistleblowers Network, which is asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to halt any disbursement of the disputed funds to Linas International Limited and associated interests.
In its filing, the group is challenging the legality of the proposed payment, arguing that a prior 2018 agreement—described as “full and final settlement”—already resolved all claims connected to the Paris Club refunds.
According to court documents, the whistleblower group is also questioning whether proper approvals were obtained from relevant authorities, including the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, before moving forward with the payment.
The group is seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the Federal Government from releasing the $396.6 million, as well as an order nullifying key government correspondences that allegedly reopened the settlement process.
In addition, the plaintiffs are demanding a whistleblower reward of $19.8 million—representing 5% of the disputed sum—claiming their disclosures helped prevent an unlawful payout under Nigeria’s whistleblowing policy.
At the centre of the dispute is whether the consultants had already accepted a $350 million settlement in 2018, which they reportedly described as “full and final.”
The whistleblower group insists that reopening the claim in 2024–2025 is “fraudulent,” while government officials maintain that the payment represents outstanding judgment debts tied to earlier court rulings and consultancy agreements.
The Attorney-General’s office has defended the proposed disbursement, stating that part payments had been made previously, leaving a balance still owed under the agreement.
The case adds another layer to the decades-long Paris Club refund controversy, which has repeatedly triggered legal battles, accusations of inflated claims, and disputes over consultancy entitlements involving state and federal actors.
The Federal High Court is expected to hear the matter in the coming weeks as pressure mounts over one of Nigeria’s most contentious financial disputes.
