Bolaji Akinduro, oil firm boss, files N5bn suit against EFCC for ‘unlawfully’ declaring him wanted

Bolaji Akinduro, executive chairman of Total Grace Oil and Gas Investment Limited, has sued the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) for declaring him wanted.

In the suit filed on Wednesday before a federal high court in Lagos, Akinduro submitted that the EFCC declared him wanted illegally without any form of judicial intervention, recourse to constitutional safeguards, or order of a court.

The businessman is seeking a court order for the EFCC to remove his name from the wanted list published on the commission’s official website or any other platform, including X, formerly Twitter.

Akinduro is seeking N5 billion as “general damages”.

In a notice on Saturday, the EFCC declared Akinduro wanted for allegedly obtaining money under false pretence and committed “stealing by conversion”.

“The public is hereby notified that Bolaji Henry Akinduro is wanted by the EFCC in an alleged case of obtaining money under false pretence, and stealing by conversion,” the notice read.

On Monday, the businessman, through his counsel, Olalekan Ojo, wrote to Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the EFCC, over what he described as the violation of his fundamental human rights.

He gave a 48-hour ultimatum for the commission to retract the notice that declared him wanted and to issue a public apology in two national newspapers.

Akinduro said the commission’s wanted notice was premised on a petition filed by one Femi Olushakin with whom he had a civil contractual agreement. He also said the matter between them is subjudice.

“Our client (Akinduro) was invited by the Commission on 4th June, 2024, and he immediately responded via letter dated 5th June, 2024, notifying the Commission of his unavailability due to medical reasons,” Ojo said in the October 11 letter to the EFCC.

“In the said letter, it was stated therein that our client was out of the country receiving medical attention. He subsequently provided assurances that he would be present at the commission as soon as he was medically cleared to travel.”

The senior lawyer added that despite Akinduro’s medical condition overseas, he has maintained close communication with the commission, affirming his willingness and desire to appear before the commission upon due confirmation of his being fit to travel by his doctors.

“There was no further request by the commission inviting our client before the unlawful publication,” Ojo said.

“It is to be further noted that on 11 October 2024, our client’s legal officer was physically present at the office of the commission around noon to submit a correspondence to the commission, and he also reassured the operatives of the commission of our client’s desire and willingness to cooperate with the investigation by the commission upon his arrival in Nigeria.

“It is regrettable that despite the repeated reassurances of our client to cooperate with the investigation upon his arrival in Nigeria, the commission proceeded to declare our client ‘Wanted’ later that same day at about 7.20 pm without an order of court and in the absence of a valid charge in a court of law.”

Ojo said since the publication, his client has been inundated with calls and subjected to public humiliation and ridicule, “thus causing our client loss of personal and business relationships as well as reputational damage.”