Hon Justice Eko Rtd

Supreme Court Upholds EFCC’s Legitimacy, Dismisses State Attorneys General’s Challenge

The Supreme Court on Friday, dismissed the suit of the 13 states challenging the constitutionality of the law that established the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The seven-man panel of justices led by Justice Uwani-Abba-Aji, in a unanimous decision, dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.

The suit, which was initially instituted by attorneys general of 16 states, sought the scrapping of the anti-graft agency. While some states withdrew from the suit, some others asked to be joined as co-plaintiffs.

The states that initiated the suit include Ondo, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Nassarawa, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Enugu, Benue, Anambra, Plateau, Cross-River and Niger.

However, at the resumed hearing on October 22, Imo, Bauchi, and Osun states joined the suit as co-plaintiffs while Anambra, Ebonyi, and Adamawa states announced their decisions to withdraw their suits.

The trio’s suits were struck out, accordingly, by the court.

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