Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for allegedly failing to investigate claims that governors under the All Progressives Congress (APC) diverted N800 billion from public funds to finance President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

The lawsuit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1426/2026, was filed last week before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

SERAP is asking the court to issue an order of mandamus directing INEC to investigate the allegations and compel the commission to obtain full disclosure from the APC and the governors on the alleged campaign fund, including the identities of donors and the lawful sources of the funds.Campaigns & Elections.

The organisation is also seeking an order directing INEC to commence a formal review into compliance with Section 91 of the Electoral Act by political parties and candidates, particularly regarding the sources and scale of campaign financing in the current political cycle.

According to SERAP, the allegations raise serious concerns about political finance transparency, electoral integrity and Nigerians’ constitutional right to participate freely in governance.

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In the suit filed on its behalf by lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Kehinde Oyewumi, the organisation argued that the reported diversion of public funds for political purposes poses a significant threat to the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

It maintained that opaque political financing remains a major gateway for corruption and undermines public confidence in democratic institutions.

“The abuse of state resources for electoral advantage undermines democratic integrity and public trust. Fairness, transparency, and accountability in political or campaign finance are essential safeguards against corruption, state capture, and undue influence in democratic processes,” SERAP stated.

The organisation argued that Section 91 of the Electoral Act empowers INEC to regulate political donations, require disclosure of campaign contributions and enforce sanctions where donation limits are exceeded.

It noted that political parties found to have exceeded donation limits are liable to a fine of up to N10m and forfeiture of excess funds, while individuals who exceed the legal threshold face fines amounting to five times the excess contribution.

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SERAP further contended that the commission has constitutional and statutory obligations to ensure transparency in political financing and prevent the misuse of public resources for electoral advantage.

According to the group, allegations involving large-scale public funds and opaque financial arrangements fall squarely within INEC’s investigative and monitoring responsibilities under the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

The suit also cited Sections 13, 14(2)(c) and 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), arguing that they impose obligations on public institutions, including INEC, to safeguard democratic participation, prevent corruption and uphold constitutional principles.

SERAP further relied on international legal instruments, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which it said require transparency in political financing and accountability in the management of public resources.

The organisation argued that any diversion of public funds for campaign purposes would amount to a violation of both domestic and international legal obligations and would undermine the principle of a level playing field in elections.

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No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited has reinforced its commitment to community impact through an employee-led blood donation drive in partnership with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) and Gbagada General Hospital.

Held recently, the initiative extended this year’s World Blood Donor Day campaign, themed “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives.” It brought together Hydrogen employees in a collective effort to strengthen blood reserves for patients across Lagos State.

The drive recorded strong participation, with employees voluntarily donating blood to support critical healthcare needs, including emergency care, surgical procedures, maternal health, sickle cell treatment, and assistance for accident victims. The contributions will help bolster the state’s blood bank and improve access to life-saving interventions.

Medical teams from LSBTS and Gbagada General Hospital supervised the exercise and engaged participants on the importance of regular voluntary blood donation. They also addressed common misconceptions, reinforcing the role of consistent donors in maintaining a safe and adequate blood supply.

Dr. Folashade Tawak, Senior Medical Practitioner with the Lagos State Government, commended the initiative.

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“Voluntary blood donation remains one of the most impactful ways individuals can contribute to saving lives. We commend Hydrogen for driving this initiative and encouraging active employee participation. Efforts like this are critical to sustaining the blood reserves needed for patients in urgent need,” she said.

Fiyinfoluwa Olorunsola, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Hydrogen, said the initiative reflects the company’s broader purpose.

“At Hydrogen, our responsibility goes beyond building payment infrastructure. We are committed to making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve. This drive brings our people together around a cause that directly saves lives, and I am proud of the culture we are building, defined by purpose, compassion, and service,” she noted.

Also speaking, Obinna Ojekwe, Head of Marketing and Communications, highlighted the personal impact of the initiative: “While we enable the seamless movement of value every day, this initiative allowed us to give something more personal. Knowing that a simple act can save lives makes this deeply meaningful, and it reflects the kind of organisation we are proud to be part of.”

The blood donation drive underscores Hydrogen’s commitment to creating value beyond financial transactions by empowering its employees to contribute meaningfully to society. It forms part of the company’s broader 2026 employee volunteering and CSR programme, with additional community-focused initiatives planned throughout the year.

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Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited (Hydrogen) is Africa’s institutional payments infrastructure partner, enabling financial institutions and large organisations to process, move, and settle payments at scale with trust and operational integrity.

Through resilient, Africa-focused infrastructure, Hydrogen helps institutions manage payment complexity, improve efficiency, and deliver reliable services across the continent.

By Blaise Udunze

On a daily basis, the world watches Nigeria through a familiar lens in what appears to be a gory situation. Especially in cases when the news headlines tell stories of farmer-herder clashes, bandit attacks, kidnappings, villages reduced to ashes or deserted by the dwellers, as thousands of Nigerians have been displaced across states such as Zamfara, Plateau, Benue, Niger, Kaduna and Nasarawa. Subliminally, this is about to become a similarly ugly occurrence in southwestern Nigeria, which is fast becoming obvious if not nipped in the bud quickly.

Recorded data have shown that bandits, Boko Haram, others killed over 190,000 Nigerians in 17 years and displaced 3.7 million people.

A human rights organisation, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), in its fearful revelation has said that no fewer than 190,150 Nigerians have been killed by bandits, Boko Haram insurgents, and suspected armed herdsmen between July 2009 and March 19, 2026 as this call for concern.

The dominant explanations often point to ethnic tensions, religious divisions, climate change, shrinking grazing routes or weak security institutions. No doubt, those factors are certainly part of Nigeria’s complex security crisis. Yet another question deserves serious examination.

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What if, in some locations, the violence is also serving another purpose? What if some of the territories experiencing repeated displacement are the same places sitting atop some of Nigeria’s most valuable mineral deposits? More importantly, if such a pattern exists, who benefits when communities disappear?

Of a truth, these questions are uncomfortable, but undeniably they deserve careful investigation rather than dismissal.

For ages, Nigeria has been naturally endowed and it is estimated to be rich in enormous significant reserves of gold, lithium, uranium, tin, columbite and other strategic minerals increasingly sought after in the global transition to clean energy technologies. As international demand for battery minerals continues to rise, these resources have become far more valuable than they were only a decade ago.

If one overlays publicly available geological information with maps showing persistent violence, some observers argue that striking geographical overlaps appear in several regions. Such overlaps alone cannot establish causation. Correlation is not proof of conspiracy. However, they raise questions worthy of independent scrutiny.

One issue attracting increasing attention and adequately yearns for answer is whether prolonged insecurity may inadvertently or deliberately create conditions that make mineral extraction easier.

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Under Nigeria’s Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007, mineral resources belong to the Federal Government, while mining rights are granted through licences and leases. Community engagement and land access are expected to form part of the licensing process, although implementation varies depending on circumstances. This raises an important policy question.

What happens when the communities expected to participate in those processes have already fled because of violence?

Displacement changes the dynamics of land ownership, consent and access. While no evidence automatically proves that attacks are orchestrated to facilitate mining, the sequence of violence followed by renewed commercial activity in some locations deserves closer examination by regulators, lawmakers and investigative journalists.

In conflict studies, researchers have long observed that wars often generate economic winners alongside humanitarian losers. Could elements of Nigeria’s insecurity also be producing economic beneficiaries?

Reports over the years have documented concerns about illegal mining operations across parts of northern Nigeria. Government agencies themselves have repeatedly acknowledged that criminal networks profit from the country’s vast mineral wealth. The unresolved question is whether isolated criminality has, in some instances, evolved into more sophisticated alliances involving political influence, financial interests and international supply chains. If so, the implications extend far beyond Nigeria.

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Invariably, it is clearly known that lithium has become one of the world’s most strategic commodities, powering electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage systems. Gold has always remained one of the safest global investment assets during periods of uncertainty. Meanwhile, it is well confirmed that the global appetite for these minerals creates enormous financial incentives.

Suppose violent displacement reduces resistance to extraction. Suppose shell companies subsequently acquire mining interests. Suppose minerals then leave Nigeria through legitimate-looking export documentation while their true value remains understated.

These scenarios remain allegations unless supported by verifiable evidence. Yet they outline a framework that investigators may wish to test rather than ignore. Financial crime experts frequently identify trade mis-invoicing as one of the most common methods of illicit financial flows worldwide.

Could Nigeria’s solid minerals sector be vulnerable to similar practices? If valuable lithium ore is deliberately but inaccurately described as lower-value material on export documents, substantial wealth could potentially leave the country without reflecting its true market value. Likewise, if unrefined gold exits through privileged channels with limited scrutiny, questions naturally arise about oversight, transparency and accountability over criminal activities which have continued to stunted and disrupt the country’s socio-economic growth and at the same time cause carnage.

Such possibilities are not accusations against any particular institution or company. Rather, they illustrate why stronger monitoring systems are increasingly essential. Another question concerns logistics.

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With the high level of criminal activities, industrial mining requires heavy machinery, diesel supplies, transportation networks and specialised personnel. These are not operations that can remain invisible indefinitely.

If certain territories are genuinely too dangerous for security agencies, how do industrial-scale extraction activities reportedly continue in some remote locations? If they do, who protects those operations? Who authorises their movement? Who verifies what is extracted? Who ensures royalties and export revenues reach public coffers? These are governance questions that demand institutional answers.

Equally important is the international dimension. Minerals extracted in Nigeria ultimately enter global supply chains. Gold may pass through international refining hubs before entering financial markets. Lithium may become part of battery manufacturing destined for electric vehicles, which are facts as they are sold across Europe, North America and Asia.

One known fact is that consumers purchasing products containing these minerals rarely know the full story of where they originated.

Increasingly, however, investors and governments are demanding ethical sourcing standards that trace minerals from extraction to final manufacture.

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A critical factor that must be taken into cognizance is that if insecurity is creating opportunities for illegal or unethical extraction anywhere in the world, multinational companies have responsibilities alongside national governments, of which the onus falls on the Nigerian government.

Transparency cannot stop at the mine gate. Nor should accountability end at national borders. Another issue requiring attention concerns beneficial ownership.

Across many jurisdictions, shell companies can obscure the identities of individuals ultimately controlling commercial assets. If politically exposed persons or powerful business interests are hidden behind complex corporate structures registered offshore, identifying beneficiaries becomes significantly more difficult. This challenge is hardly unique to Nigeria.

Findings showed that from Latin America to Central Africa and Southeast Asia, resistant corporate networks have frequently complicated efforts to combat corruption and illicit resource extraction. That is precisely why open corporate registries, beneficial ownership databases and transparent mining licence disclosures are becoming global governance priorities. For Nigeria, the stakes could hardly be higher.

The country stands at the centre of the world’s emerging critical minerals economy. The Nigerian government can’t feign ignorance of the fact that, when handled transparently, these resources could finance infrastructure, education, healthcare, and industrial development for generations.

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In no way would the government claim not knowing that when handled poorly, they risk becoming another chapter in the well-documented “resource curse,” where extraordinary natural wealth coincides with persistent poverty, insecurity and institutional weakness.

The ultimate challenge, therefore, is not simply about mining. It is about governance. It is about whether public institutions possess both the independence and capacity to ensure that natural resources benefit citizens rather than narrow interests. It is about whether conflict zones receive genuine peace-building efforts instead of becoming forgotten frontiers. And it is about whether international markets demand accountability with the same enthusiasm they demand raw materials.

None of these questions should be answered through speculation. They require rigorous investigations, forensic financial analysis, satellite imagery, mining license audits, customs records, beneficial ownership disclosures and courageous journalism.

They require governments willing to open their books. They require international cooperation capable of tracing money across borders. Most importantly, they require asking questions that have too often remained unasked.

Perhaps Nigeria’s security crisis is exactly what it appears to be: a tragic convergence of historical grievances, weak institutions, criminality and environmental pressures. Or perhaps, in some places, another layer of economic incentive deserves closer scrutiny.

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Until those questions are thoroughly investigated, one possibility will continue to linger. Maybe the world’s attention has been fixed on the blood spilled above ground, while too little attention has been paid to the extraordinary wealth lying beneath it.

Blaise, a journalist and PR professional, writes from Lagos and can be reached via: [email protected]