Court fines EFCC ₦1m over unlawful invasion of Abuja company

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, August 30, 2022, imposed a one million naira fine on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC over the unlawful invasion of an Abuja-based company.

The victim company: The company, Fezel Nigeria Limited located at plot 792, Cadastral Zone Industrial Estate, Idu-Abuja was forcefully invaded by operatives of the EFCC early this year without any justifiable reason.

Justice served: Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo in a judgment in a suit instituted against EFCC held that the anti-graft agency acted in breach of the Constitutional rights of the plaintiff in the way the company was invaded by fully armed operatives of EFCC.

What the court said: Specifically, the Judge held that EFCC breached sections 36, 37, 40, 43 and 44 by sealing up the company without any just cause.

The court thereafter granted an order of injunction against EFCC restraining it, its officials, agents and privies from disturbing, intimidating, harassing and arresting any staff or any worker of the company.

Justice Ekwo said the action of the anti-graft agency amounted to a violation of the rights of the plaintiff to own property as enshrined in section 43 of the 1999 Constitution.

The Price: He proceeded to award a cost of one million naira against EFCC to be paid to the plaintiff for the infringements on its Constitutional rights.