Ex-NNPC boss Yakubu drags EFCC to court, claims N1bn damages

Former Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Andrew Yakubu, has filed a suit of N1billion damages and compensation against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He is claiming the amount for what he said is a violation of his rights.

The suit by Yakubu who was recently caught with $9.7million and £74,000 by the anti-graft agency is before the Federal High Court.

The EFCC and the Attorney-General of the Federation are the first and second respondents in the suit respectively.

He also claimed in an affidavit deposed to in the court that the monies recovered and seized from his house by the EFCC were gifts to him.

Yakubu’s lawyer, Mr Adeola Adedipe, in the suit argued that the matter was initiated pursuant to Order 8 Rule 4 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules.

He therefore asked the court to declare that he was entitled to the dignity of his person, personal liberty, freedom of movement, private and family life as stated in the 1999 Constitution.

Yakubu further asked the court to establish that the EFCC keeping him in detention without charging him to court or allowing him to complete his medical procedure in the United Kingdom was a violation of his rights.

Among other things, Yakubu demanded that the court should announce his continued detention as an infringement on his rights to dignity of human person, that the court should give an order enforcing his rights to personal liberty, dignity of human person, freedom of movement, private and family life.

Yakubu’s suit has however been opposed by the EFCC‎ through a counter affidavit deposed to by one Waziri Adamu.

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Adamu in the counter affidavit claimed that investigation into the allegations against Yakubu was ongoing, adding that the interim findings revealed that the monies found in Yakubu’s house were not gifts but were suspected to be proceeds of crime.

The EFCC argued that Yakubu, at the period he was NNPC GMD was a public officer and that existing laws prohibits public officers from receiving such gifts in any means.

EFCC therefore prayed the court not to order the release of Yakubu in the interest of justice.

The matter was adjourned till March 9 by the trial judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed.

The anti-graft agency had during a raid at Yakubu’s house at Chiku road; Sabon Tasha Area in Kaduna State recovered the sum of $9.772million and another £74,000.

 

 

 

 

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