The George Uboh Whistleblowers Network (GUWN) has filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the Federal Government, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and other parties, seeking to block a fresh $396.6 million payout to Senator Ned Nwoko and his firm, Linas International Limited, in the protracted Paris and London Club refund controversy.
The suit, filed on August 20, 2024, lists six substantive reliefs and challenges the legality of the planned payment, which the group described as “unlawful, unjustified, and a violation of due process.”
Defendants Named
The AGF, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); the Federal Ministry of Finance Incorporated; the Minister of Finance; Linas International Limited; Senator Ned Nwoko; and the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) were all joined as defendants in the case.
Reliefs Sought
Among other prayers, GUWN asked the court to declare that Nwoko and Linas are not entitled to the $396,615,107.19 referenced in a November 25, 2024 letter from the AGF to President Bola Tinubu. The group also wants the NGF’s “no objection” letter of July 2, 2024 and the AGF’s subsequent request for presidential approval declared null and void.
In addition, GUWN is seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the Federal Government from disbursing the money to Nwoko or his firm. The whistleblowers are also demanding $19.83 million—representing 5% of the disputed amount—as compensation under Nigeria’s whistleblower policy for exposing what they describe as a fraudulent transaction.
Background To The Dispute
The Paris and London Club refund saga has lingered for years, involving consultancy fees allegedly owed to Nwoko and other firms for facilitating the recovery of excess loan deductions from state governments. Under the Buhari administration in 2018, Nwoko reportedly received $350 million as a “full and final settlement.”
In a July 16, 2024 petition, GUWN argued that the acceptance of that payment foreclosed any future claims. It described the current attempt to secure an additional $396.6 million as “blatant fraud.”
However, AGF Fagbemi defended the fresh payment in his November 2024 memo to President Tinubu, citing court judgments in Nwoko’s favour, the NGF’s endorsement, and findings of multiple EFCC investigations between 2018 and 2024, which upheld Nwoko and Linas as genuine consultants.
Next Steps
The matter is yet to be assigned to a judge, but the defendants have 30 days from the date of service to enter an appearance.
