Politics
EFCC to pay N600m for action against two Rivers govt officials
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is to lose the sum of N600 million for investigating and subsequently declaring two officials of Rivers State government wanted.
The anti-graft agency was ordered to make the payment as damages to the two officials, who are the Accountant General of the state, Frederick Abere, and a retired Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government Affairs, Lekia Bukpo, by a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.
Following EFCC’s action against them, Abere and Bukpo had filed a fundamental human rights suit before the court presided over by Justice George Omereji.
In his ruling on the matter, the judge held that the EFCC has no right to investigate the state government or its officials, adding that he was surprised the anti-graft agency could take such action.
He frowned that the EFCC failed to appeal the judgments of a Federal High Court against it on the matter but resorted to self-help by inviting the officials.
According to Omereji, the EFCC should first vacate the subsisting order made by Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court before taking any action on accounts of the state government.
He further held that the EFCC letter of invitation to the officials was in disobedience to the court order and malicious, adding that only the Rivers State House of Assembly has the right to investigate the financial activities of the state government.
READ ALSO: Fayose threatens to sue EFCC, demands N20bn as damages
The court then ruled that the sum of N300 million each be paid by EFCC to Abere and Biokpo as exemplary damages.
Governor Wike had in his reaction on the matter accused the EFCC of being used by President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to intimidate perceived political opponents and those who dared to profess contrary views to those of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
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