FOI: Court Asked to Include FCTA in Suit Seeking Release of Director’s Academic Records

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has been asked to join the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) as a defendant in the suit seeking to compel the University of Port Harcourt and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to produce the academic records of a Director with the FCDA, Anita Anurika Odom to clear some alleged discrepancies.

The suit by an Abuja based activist, Njoku Ifeanyichukwu, was occasioned by the refusal of both the university and the FCDA to comply by the Freedom of Information (FOI), Act, in releasing Odom’s academic records.

Specifically the activist wants the High Court to invoke the provisions of the FOI Act to compel the University and the FCDA to supply him with the academic record of the Director for scrutiny to ascertain genuineness.

However, following the claims of the FCDA that the Director is not it’s employee, he opted to join the FCTA to enable him get remedy.

The activist in his suit marked FHC/ABJ/CD/929/2024, wants the court to issue an order for the University of Port-Harcourt and the FCDA to produce the academic records of the Director.

The suit has the FCDA, University of Port Harcourt and Odom as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.

When the matter came up on Wednesday, the plaintiff, through his counsel, Abiodun Olusanya told the trial Judge, Justice Binta Nyako that he had filed an application on April 29, 2025 seeking to join FCTA in the suit.

Olusanya however asked the court for a short adjournment to enable him respond to the objections raised against the application by the Director.

Odom in her objections contained in a counter affidavit filed through her lawyer, Martin Agba informed the court that she is not a staff of the FCTA as claimed by the plaintiff and that the case was instituted to intimidate her for supporting her step-niece, who was molested by one, Mr Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Uyaelumuo.

According to her, “The case of molestation was reported to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which promptly launched an investigation into the matter.

“The case assumed national prominence when it was regularly featured and discussed on TVC and the popular Berekete Family (Human Rights) FM Radio, Abuja over a period of time.”

She added that, “the rape suspect decided to launch attacks against her by instigating the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to embarrass her by raising patently false and malicious petitions against her in a desperate bid to intimidate and distract her family members from their fight for justice for the young victim.

“In furtherance of his sinister objective, the rape suspect procured the applicant on record who is using phoney names like Excellent International School etc issued petitions to my alma mater, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria Police and other security agencies over some patently false allegations of criminal conspiracy, job racketeering, forgery, cheating and use of forged university degree certificates to secure jobs,” she averred.

In a short ruling, Justice Nyako adjourned the matter till June 16 for hearing of the application to join FCTA in the case.

The plaintiff, in his suit also asked the court to mandate the FCDA to produce the academic records, graduation certificate and the National Youth Service Corps NYSC discharge certificate upon which the said Director was employed into its establishment.

In an affidavit deposed in support of the suit, the plaintiff averred that the academic records of the Director are needed to clear some discrepancies in her records of service at the FCDA.