EFCC: We didn’t threaten to arrest Sanwo-Olu, his aides or family

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked a federal high court in Abuja to dismiss the fundamental rights suit filed in the name of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos state.

In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/773/2024 dated and filed on June 6, Sanwo-Olu through his lawyer, Darlington Ozurumba, sought an order restraining the EFCC from harassing, intimidating, arresting, detaining, interrogating, or prosecuting him in connection with his tenure as the governor of Lagos state.

The court was also asked to make an order restraining the anti-graft agency from “seizing the properties, the international passport, and travel documents of the plaintiff or freezing the bank accounts of the plaintiff and his family members”.

Responding to the suit in a counter affidavit, the EFCC described the legal action as speculative and a “mere conjecture”.

Ufuoma Ezire, a superintendent and litigation secretary in the legal and prosecution department, said the EFCC is not investigating the governor and has never threatened to arrest him or his staff.

“That I know as a fact that the defendant invites members of the public for interview, interrogation or any engagement vide a written invitation, phone calls or text messages by any of its officers who shall introduce himself or herself by name, rank, designation, and Section to enable the invitee trace the officer easily,” Ezire said.

“That no officer of the defendant could have invited the plaintiff or his aides without furnishing them with such detailed particulars of himself.

“That contrary to the depositions in paragraphs 5 of the plaintiff affidavit, the defendant did not intimidate, harass or threaten the plaintiff or subject him to any trauma.”

He said the EFCC is not aware of the “accusation of maladministration or diversion of Lagos state’s funds” nor is it aware of “any likelihood of a breach of the applicant’s right to liberty or right to own movable and immovable properties in this case”.

“That the action of the plaintiff, in this case, is mere conjecture and speculations as there is no petition or any intel gathered before the defendant to warrant the men and officers of same to invite, threaten to arrest the plaintiff at the moment,” he added.

“That the entirety of the dispositions contained in the plaintiffs’ affidavit are not true, as the application is misconceived and brought in bad faith to mislead this honourable court.

“That the defendant is not in a position to deny or confirm the depositions in paragraphs 4 and 4(iii) as the defendant is not a party to the conversation between deponent and the plaintiff.

“That it will be in the interest of justice to refuse the reliefs sought by the plaintiff.”

Meanwhile, the Lagos state governor has since denied filing the suit against the anti-graft agency.