The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and its Permanent Secretary have been dragged before the Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly refusing to release the academic records and curriculum vitae of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.
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In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2449/2025, dated and filed on November 14, the plaintiff, the Registered Trustees of Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development, through its counsel, Mubarak Bala, said it instituted the legal action after the SGF’s office declined its Freedom of Information (FOI) request seeking Matawalle’s academic and appointment documents.
The SGF, its Permanent Secretary, and the Minister of State for Defence are listed as the 1st to 3rd defendants in the suit.
The plaintiff is asking the court to determine whether, under Sections 1(1), 2(6), 4, and 7(1) of the FOI Act, it is entitled to access the curriculum vitae and supporting documents submitted by a serving minister for the purpose of appointment.
It also challenged the reliance of the SGF’s office on Section 14(1) of the FOI Act—which protects personal information—arguing that Section 14(2) requires disclosure where public interest outweighs potential harm to privacy.
According to the group, Matawalle’s academic and background records are matters of legitimate public interest given his status as a public office holder.
The suit is seeking several declarations, including that the SGF’s refusal to release the documents is unlawful and contrary to Sections 1(1), 4, 7, and 14(2) of the FOI Act, and that a minister’s CV submitted during the appointment process constitutes a public record under Section 2(6).
The plaintiff is also seeking an order of mandamus compelling the SGF to release the records or provide an official summary, as well as an order directing the respondents to pay N5 million in general damages for denying access to information.
The group maintained that it made a valid FOI request which was unlawfully rejected under the guise of protecting personal information, thereby violating its statutory right to access public records.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
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