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SERAP URGES SENATE PRESIDENT AKPABIO TO REINSTATE SUSPENDED SENATOR AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio to immediately rescind the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. SERAP described the suspension as “patently unlawful” and stated that it is based solely on the peaceful exercise of her constitutionally and internationally recognized right to freedom of expression. In an open letter dated March 8, 2025, SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare said, “No one should ever be punished for ‘speaking without permission’. Being a senator does not deprive Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan of her fundamental human rights.” Oluwadare emphasized that the Senate should be setting an example by upholding the rule of law and promoting and protecting fundamental human rights, not stamping them out. “Punishing Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan solely for peacefully expressing herself is unlawful, unnecessary, and disproportionate,” he added. The letter also stated that the suspension would have a disproportionate chilling effect on the ability of other members of the Senate to freely express themselves and exercise their human rights. SERAP gave the Senate a 48-hour ultimatum to reinstate Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and revise parliamentary procedures that unduly restrict senators’ human rights. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months after she reportedly ‘spoke without permission’ and ‘refused her new seat in the upper legislative chamber.’ Her salary and allowances will not be paid for the duration of the suspension, and she was banned from representing herself as a senator.

CBN FACES LEGAL ACTION OVER ATM TRANSACTION FEE HIKE

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has initiated a lawsuit against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over the recent increase in Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transaction fees. The CBN’s new policy, which took effect recently, charges N100 for every N20,000 withdrawn from bank-owned ATMs outside their branch premises. Additionally, withdrawals at shopping centers, airports, and standalone cash points attract a N100 charge, plus a surcharge of up to N500. SERAP argues that the CBN’s decision is arbitrary and violates the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018. The organization is seeking a declaration from the court that the fee increase is unjust and contrary to the provisions of the law. SERAP is also requesting an interim injunction to prevent the CBN and its associates from enforcing the new fees while the case is under review. According to SERAP, the increase disproportionately affects economically disadvantaged Nigerians and creates an unfair two-tiered financial system. The organization contends that the CBN’s actions compromise its mission to manage the economy effectively and uphold human rights. SERAP emphasizes that the burden of the fee hike should have been borne by banks and their shareholders, rather than the general public. “The increase in ATM transaction fees ought to have been shouldered by wealthy banks and their shareholders, not the general public,” SERAP stated in the lawsuit. “CBN policies should not be skewed against poor Nigerians and heavily in favour of banks that continue to declare trillions of naira in profits mostly at the expense of their customers”. The case, filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos with case number FHC/L/CS/344/2025, is awaiting a hearing date.

SERAP URGES CBN GOVERNOR TO REVERSE “EXORBITANT” ATM TRANSACTION FEES

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, to immediately withdraw the recently announced increase in Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transaction fees. In an open letter dated February 15, 2025, SERAP described the increase as “patently unlawful, unfair, unreasonable, and unjust,” and stated that it would “hit hardest those at the bottom of the economy and exacerbate the growing poverty in the country.” The organization’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said, “The increase in ATM transaction fees ought to have been shouldered by wealthy banks and their shareholders, not the general public. The increase only benefits the CBN and commercial banks at the expense of poor Nigerians.” SERAP argued that the increase in ATM transaction fees is inconsistent with the Nigerian Constitution, the CBN Act, and the country’s international human rights obligations. The organization also stated that the CBN has clear responsibilities under the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to undertake human rights due diligence and to avoid contributing to human rights violations. The CBN had announced that ATM withdrawals made at a machine owned by a bank but outside its branch premises will now attract a charge of N100 per N20,000 withdrawn, while ATM withdrawals at shopping centers, airports, or standalone cash points will incur a N100 fee plus a surcharge of up to N500 per N20,000 withdrawal. SERAP urged the CBN governor to take immediate action to reverse the increase, stating, “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 48 hours of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you and the CBN to comply with our request in the public interest.”