Court extends order restraining EFCC, DSS from detaining Yari

A federal high court in Abuja has extended the order restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) from detaining Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara.

Donatus Okorowo, the presiding judge, extended the order on Thursday, after Michael Aondoaka, Yari’s counsel and a former minister of justice, made an oral application to the effect.

Okorowo also restrained the Department of State Services (DSS) from detaining the former governor.

In May 2022, the EFCC arrested Yari over alleged fraud relating to the subsidy reinvestment and empowerment programme (SURE-P).

The former Zamfara governor was also arrested in connection to the fraud allegations levelled against Ahmed Idris, the suspended accountant-general of the federation.

His hurdles with the EFCC, ICPC, and DSS come amid his ambition to become the senate president in the 10th national assembly.

On Monday, Aondoakaa filed a motion asking the judge to stop the DSS, EFCC, and ICPC from detaining Yari.

Okorowo ordered the respondents (EFCC, ICPC, DSS) to show cause on the next adjourned date (Thursday) on why the prayers sought on the motion ex-parte should not be granted.

The development occurred after a plea for an adjournment moved by Gloria Ogbason, lawyer to the EFCC, and Kemi Odogun, counsel representing the ICPC, to enable them to file their responses to Yari’s motion.

At the resumed hearing on Thursday, Aondoakaa informed the court that all the respondents had been served as directed by the court.

Yari had, through his team of lawyers led by the former minister of justice, filed the ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ANJ/CS/785/23 and sued the EFCC, ICPC and DSS as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.

In the application, the former governor prayed the court for an order restraining the respondents from detaining and preventing him from attending or participating in the proclamation of the 10th senate by President Bola Tinubu on June 13.

Yari said his aspiration to contest the position of senate president had drawn consternation from some members of his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), which had resorted to using the respondents and their agents to harass him.

Yari said if the order was not given, his rights would have been breached by the respondents.

Okorowo adjourned the matter until June 27 and barred the EFCC, ICPC and DSS from detaining Yari until they appear to show cause on the next adjourned date.