Drama Unfolds As States Provide Mixed Reasons For Suing EFCC, NFIU in Supreme Court Clash

The case, initially brought by the Kogi State Government and its Attorney General, Muiz Abdullahi SAN, has now seen 15 other states join as co-plaintiffs. These states include Ondo, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Enugu, Benue, Anambra, Plateau, Cross River, and Niger.

The core argument presented is that the EFCC Act violated constitutional provisions, as it was not ratified by a majority of the state Houses of Assembly, which is legally required. The Supreme Court, led by a seven-member panel headed by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, has scheduled the hearing for October 22, and the case has been consolidated.

Sources suggest the lawsuit may be linked to ongoing legal conflicts between the EFCC and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, who faces accusations of misappropriating N110 billion. Additionally, the EFCC recently reopened cases related to N772 billion in alleged money laundering, targeting 13 former governors and ministers, including ex-Ekiti governors Kayode Fayemi and Ayo Fayose, and current Minister Bello Matawalle.

EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale stated that the lawsuit indicates the commission’s success in its anti-corruption efforts, adding, “If we were not doing our job effectively, we wouldn’t face such hostility.”

However, states involved in the suit have provided differing reasons for their participation. Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said their involvement stemmed from legal concerns regarding the EFCC’s statutes, while Ogun State’s media adviser, Kayode Akinmade, denied any connection to Kogi’s suit, clarifying that Ogun had filed its own case challenging NFIU policies restricting state financial transactions.

Cross River, Plateau, and Katsina states either denied their involvement or declined to comment, further complicating the case. Cross River’s Commissioner for Information, Erasmus Ekpang, explained that their participation was limited to a previous suit against the NFIU under the Ben Ayade administration, not the EFCC. Similarly, Plateau’s Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, stated that the state had not taken a position on the EFCC’s abolition, while the Katsina State Commissioner, Bala Salisu, claimed ignorance of the case.

With the hearing set for October 22, this lawsuit could have significant consequences for the future of Nigeria’s leading anti-corruption bodies.