Court Rules EFCC Can Press On With Corruption Investigation
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that the Nigerian judge has ruled that the country’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), may continue its corruption investigation into a businessman who tried to halt the probe through the courts.
Justice Aliyu Baba Usman of the Bauchi State High Court dismissed a suit by Alhaji Hamza Koshe and his company, Pentech Engineering Nigeria Ltd, which sought to restrain both the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) from investigating or prosecuting them.
Koshe had filed the application in September 2024, asking for a perpetual injunction to stop the agencies from questioning him over a financing agreement with the Bauchi State Ministry of Finance.
But the judge ruled that no court had the power to prevent law enforcement bodies from carrying out their legal duties.
“This honourable court and indeed courts of law lack requisite powers to restrain… the EFCC and ICPC from performing [their] legitimate function of investigation and prosecution of money laundering, corruption, economic and financial crimes or any other related offences,” Usman said in his decision.
The EFCC had earlier summoned Koshe for questioning, but he refused to appear and instead sued the commission. The ruling now allows the agency to press ahead with its inquiry.
