Nigeria, May 9 -- The Federal High Court in Uyo has granted two lawyers leave to commence judicial review proceedings against the 31 local government councils in Akwa Ibom State over alleged refusal to release public records requested under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.

The applicants, Akaninyene Archibong and Edidiong Ebong, are seeking court orders that would compel the councils to disclose records relating to public spending, subsidy programmes, policy documents, licences and approvals issued by the councils from November 2024 to date.

The suit, marked FHC/UY/CS/80/2026, is before Justice M. A. Onyetenu of the Federal High Court, Uyo.

Court documents sighted by PREMIUM TIMES showed that the applicants, through their co...