The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and its Permanent Secretary are facing legal action for declining to hand over the academic credentials of Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Matawalle.

A civil society group, the Registered Trustees of Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development, filed the suit on November 14.

They want a court order forcing the SGF to release Matawalle’s Curriculum Vitae and other supporting documents submitted when he was appointed minister.

Their counsel, Mubarak Bala, says the SGF rejected an earlier Freedom of Information (FOI) request for the records. The SGF cited Section 14(1) of the FOI Act, which covers protection of personal information.

But Bala argues that Section 14(2) of the same law allows disclosure when the public interest outweighs private harm.

In their filings, the plaintiffs call for several declarations: that the SGF’s refusal is unlawful, that Matawalle’s CV and appointment documents are public records, and that granting access is in the public interest.

They also seek a mandamus order compelling disclosure, plus ₦5,000,000 in general damages for the denial.

They base their case heavily on the fact that public office holders—especially at the ministerial level—should have their qualifications open to public scrutiny.

As at the time of this press report, no date has yet been set for the hearing.

However, this comes amid growing pressure on public officials to make their academic credentials transparent. Recall the recent court case involving Minister Uche Nnaji, whose attempt to block his university from releasing academic records was rejected.