Sanwo-Olu Challenges EFCC Over Alleged Post-Tenure Arrest Threats

Segun Atanda/

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has filed a lawsuit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging threats to arrest, detain, and prosecute him following the end of his term as governor.

Represented by his lawyer, Darlington Ozurumba, Sanwo-Olu submitted a fundamental rights enforcement suit to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja. During the case mention on Tuesday, Ozurumba informed the court of a new originating summons, which had been served to the EFCC. However, EFCC counsel Hadiza Afegbua stated she had not yet received the updated documents, leading Justice Abdulmalik to adjourn the case until November 11.

In the summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/773/2024, Sanwo-Olu raised seven questions and requested 11 specific legal reliefs. He argued that, as a Nigerian citizen, he is entitled to the right to private and family life, both during and after his term in office, as guaranteed by Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution. The governor also asserted his rights to own property and maintain bank accounts, rights safeguarded by Sections 43 and 44(1) of the Constitution.

Sanwo-Olu’s case contends that the EFCC’s alleged plans to investigate, arrest, and detain him contravene his constitutional rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement under Sections 35(1) & (4) and 41(1). He decried what he called political harassment and intimidation, asserting that any plans to detain him are politically motivated and abusive of executive power.

Sanwo-Olu further claimed that these actions would be an unwarranted intrusion on his rights to fair hearing, equal protection, and freedom from harassment under both the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The governor sought an injunction preventing the EFCC from any further harassment, intimidation, or arrest related to his time as governor, as well as a ban on freezing his assets or seizing his travel documents. He also requested an order preventing the EFCC from arresting, detaining, or coercing his aides and family members or pressuring contractors to implicate him.

Supporting the originating summons, litigation secretary Martha Kanu provided an affidavit recounting the governor’s concerns over alleged EFCC tactics, including pressuring aides and contractors to incriminate him. According to Kanu, EFCC officials have been colluding with political adversaries to manufacture allegations of corruption against the governor.

Sanwo-Olu, who was sworn in for his first term as governor on May 29, 2019, and re-elected for a second term on May 29, 2023, is seeking judicial intervention to protect his rights and end the alleged politically motivated actions by the EFCC.