SAN Patrick Ikwueto Alleges Fraudulent Consultant Schemes in Paris Club Refund Claims
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Patrick Ikwueto, has raised serious concerns about what he described as “disturbing consultant enrichment schemes” linked to the Paris Club refund.
In a formal petition dated April 15, 2026, addressed to the Attorney General of the Federation, Ikwueto—acting as solicitor to GSCLBIZ Plus Consortium—alleged that fraudulent claims and misrepresentations continue to be advanced under the guise of London and Paris Club refund entitlements.
According to him, his client was duly engaged by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) for over a decade, across four successive chairmen, to provide specialised consultancy services. He noted that these engagements facilitated recoveries exceeding $10 billion, which materially supported the fiscal stability of state governments, particularly during economic downturns.
Ikwueto stressed that all Paris Club obligations had been conclusively reconciled and discharged under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. He explained that the reconciliations were properly undertaken by statutory agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Debt Management Office (DMO), and the Office of the Accountant‑General of the Federation.
The SAN warned that despite payments already exceeding $250 million, new questionable claims amounting to $400 million are being pursued. He described these as coordinated schemes designed to unjustly enrich certain parties at the expense of both federal and state governments.
To safeguard public funds, Ikwueto urged the Attorney General to establish a high‑level inter‑agency verification committee. He recommended that the committee include representatives of the Ministry of Finance, DMO, Accountant‑General’s Office, NGF, EFCC, DSS, and all consultants previously engaged. He argued that such a body is necessary to conclusively determine the validity of outstanding claims and to identify any subsisting court judgments governing the matter.
He cautioned that failure to subject these claims to rigorous verification exposes the Federal Government to significant and unjustified financial liabilities.
The Paris Club refunds arose from over‑deductions made from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) between 1995 and 2002 for external debt servicing.
Nigeria reached a landmark agreement with the Paris Club in 2005, paying $12 billion in exchange for debt forgiveness.
Refunds have since been a source of contention between the Federal Government and state governments.
In 2021, the Federal High Court in Abuja restrained the Federal Government from deducting $418 million from state and local government accounts to settle consultant claims.
The NGF has consistently opposed such deductions, arguing they would undermine the ability of states to meet recurrent obligations, including salary payments.
