The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss the fundamental rights suit filed in the name of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State.
In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/773/2024 dated and filed on June 6, Sanwo-Olu through his lawyer, Darlington Ozurumba, sought an order restraining the EFCC from harassing, intimidating, arresting, detaining, interrogating, or prosecuting him in connection with his tenure as the governor of Lagos State.
The court was also asked to make an order restraining the antigraft agency from “seizing the properties, the international passport, and travel documents of the plaintiff or freezing the bank accounts of the plaintiff and his family members”.
Responding to the suit in a counter affidavit, the EFCC described the legal action as speculative and a “mere conjecture”.
Ufuoma Ezire, a superintendent and litigation secretary in the legal and prosecution department, said the EFCC is not investigating the governor and has never threatened to arrest him or his staff.
Ezire said: “That I know as a fact that the defendant invites members of the public for interview, interrogation or any engagement video a written invitation, phone calls or text messages by any of its officers who shall introduce himself or herself by name, rank, designation, and Section to enable the invitee trace the officer easily.
“That no officer of the defendant could have invited the plaintiff or his aides without furnishing them with such detailed particulars of himself.
“That contrary to the depositions in paragraphs 5 of the plaintiff affidavit, the defendant did not intimidate, harass or threaten the plaintiff or subject him to any trauma.”
He said the EFCC is not aware of the “accusation of maladministration or diversion of Lagos State’s funds” nor is it aware of “any likelihood of a breach of the applicant’s right to liberty or right to own movable and immovable properties in this case”.
