FORMER MINISTER FOR OBASANJO SUES EFCC FOR N1 BILLION AFTER BEING LISTED AS WANTED

Babatunji Wusu –

Olu Agunloye, a former minister of power and steel under former president Olusegun Obasanjo, has taken legal action by suing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for N1 billion.

The main claims in the case are that his name was added to the EFCC’s wanted list, which was made public on the organization’s website.

Agunloye is the plaintiff in the case, which is presently pending before Justice Emeka Nwite at a Federal High Court in Abuja and is designated as FHC/ABJ/CS/167/2024. Adeola Adedipe, SAN, is leading Agunloye’s legal team. A hearing for the lawsuit is scheduled for April 18.

In one of his six requests for relief, Agunloye contested the EFCC’s legal ability to carry out its discretion, powers, and duties as outlined in Sections 1(2)(c), 6, 7, 13, of the EFCC Act, 2004, and Section 4 of the Police Act 2020 by publicly listing him as wanted on the agency’s website or any other relevant platform.

According to Agunloye, this occurred without taking into account any of the protections provided by Sections 34(~1)(a), 35, 37, 39, 41, and 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which deal with court orders, permissions from the court, and judicial intervention as per Sections 1(1), 8(1), & 42(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

He demanded that his photo, name, references, details, and any other information be removed right away from the wanted list that is posted on the EFCC’s official website and any other relevant platform, along with an order for its agents, representatives, privies, and other associated affiliates to do the same.

In order to avoid judicial involvement or disregard for constitutional protections, Agunloye sought a perpetual injunction to stop the EFCC and the AGF from designating him as wanted in connection with the complaint.
He also demanded the expense of the legal action and general damages from the defendants, including the EFCC, in the amount of one billion naira.