On Monday, 18 March 2024, Justice Obiora Egwuatu at the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed Agunloye’s suit against the EFCC. Agunloye had filed the suit in June 2023 to prevent the EFCC from harassing him and violating his fundamental rights during the ongoing International Arbitration on the Mambilla Power Project.
Agunloye’s arguments in the Civil Suit, which had dragged on for over nine months, became irrelevant as the EFCC took action against him while the case was ongoing. The EFCC had declared Agunloye wanted, detained him, mistreated him in detention, arraigned him before another court, and ultimately remanded him in prison until he was granted bail.
Justice Egwuatu dismissed the suit, basing the decision on the EFCC’s power to carry out its statutory duties and the inability of the court to stop them. As a result, the court awarded costs.
Agunloye’s lawyers have expressed their intention to appeal the ruling, citing the court’s admission that the suit was an attempt to use the court system to shield Agunloye from criminal investigation and interfere with the EFCC’s authority to investigate crimes in accordance with the EFCC Act.
