Rivers Court Grants Perpetual Injunction Against EFCC

A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has barred the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) from harassing, intimidating, inviting, arresting or detaining one Christian Ile and members of Onuoha family in Ubima community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
In his judgment, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, described as unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional the action of EFCC and its Zonal Head against the applicants in a matter that is civil in nature.
Enebeli expressed concern that EFCC which was a creation of the law, should learn to respect the law rather than be used to abuse such law.
He insisted that the government anti-graft agency cannot have diverse jurisdiction in a matter that was civil in nature and was already pending in different courts.
Enebeli after issuing an order of perpetual injunction against the EFCC from inviting, harassing, arresting and detaining of Christian Ile and members of the Onuoha family in Ubima community, awarded the sum of N10million in favour of Ile as damages contrary to N250million demand by the applicant.
Counsels representing the Applicant and EFCC declined to comment on the judgement, while the 3rd Respondent in the case, Ikechi Jeffrey, said he would challenge the court’s decision at the appeal.
Christian Ile was first petitioned on January 20, 2016 by the third respondent, Ikechi Jeffrey where he was invited and detained for days and was later petitioned by the same 3rd Respondent on the same subject matter on March 26, 2021.
He was also invited to EFCC office for the second time which resulted in him approaching the court for enforcement of his fundamental human rights.