Court Orders EFCC To Pay Emefiele N100m Over Fundamental Rights Violation

Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of an FCT High Court on Monday awarded N100 million in damages to suspended former governor of the central bank of Nigeria, CBN, against the federal government and Economic and financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for violations of his rights.

The embattled Emefiele had dragged the Federal Government, Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, EFCC to enforce his fundamental rights to life, personal liberty, fair hearing and freedom of movement.

Mr Emefiele sought a declaration of the court that his continued detention by the agency of the first and second respondents since June 10, 2023 and subsequent transfer to the custody of the third and fourth respondents on October 26, 2023 without being arraigned in court is unlawful.

He said the respondents in deviance of several valid subsisting court orders for his release amounts to a grave violation of his fundamental rights to life, personal liberty, as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

He, therefore, among others sought an injunction restraining the respondents from further arresting and or further detaining him up on his release by the court without proffering a criminal charge against him.

He also sought damages of N1 billion in his favour for the violation of his fundamental rights.