Sanwo-Olu Seeks Court Order to Hinder EFCC from Post-Tenure Arrest or Prosecution

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State Governor, due to leave office in 2027, has prayed to a Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from arresting or prosecuting him at the end of his 2nd tenure.

In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/773/2024, the governor, among others, has made serious allegations. He claims that the EFCC is being influenced by his ‘political enemies’.

In the originating application filed by lawyer Darlington Ozurumba, the governor reportedly seeks 11 reliefs for the court to serve EFCC.

Governor Sanwo-Olu sought the court to invoke Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulates that “the plaintiff, as a citizen of Nigeria, is entitled to the right to private and family life as a minimum guarantee encapsulated under the Constitution of the Republic of Nigeria, 1999 before, during and after the occupation of public office created by the Constitution.”

In addition, he sought protection under Sections 43 and 44(1) of the 1999 Constitution. Equally, under Sections 35(1) & (4) and 41(1) of the Constitution, the governor sought the court to consider the alleged threat of his investigation, arrest, and detention by EFCC during his tenure illegal.

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On the alleged threats by unnamed adversaries, Governor Sanwo-Olu sought the court to declare such a misuse of executive powers and abuse of public office, among others.

In a malicious attempt to get at the applicant, some of the plaintiff’s political adversaries, in conjunction with some of the officials of the defendant, are falsely ascribing to his administration of corrupt practices which are none existent;

The EFCC, through some of its officials, were desperately inventing false, spurious and malicious allegations against the governor in order to use same as a basis for investigating, arresting and prosecuting the applicant after leaving office as governor, The Nation Newspaper quoted the governor.

Meanwhile, a lawyer to the governor was found to claim that EFCC had been served the court documents on the case, a case to which Hadiza Afegbua, lawyer to EFCC, said it has yet to be served.

The presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, adjourned the case until November 11 for further hearing, and he also mandated that EFCC be served the court documents before the next hearing.

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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