An Abuja federal high court has
barred the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting or
detaining Femi Fani-Kayode and Yinka Odumakin.
Fani-Kayode, former minister of
aviation and Odumakin, spokesman of Afenifere, had filed a N20 million suit
against the commission over their claim that the commission was plotting to
arrest Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN).
EFCC had denied the allegation
and threatened them with a suit. The commission also invited them for
questioning.
The duo had gone to the court to
prevent their arrest.
In his ruling on Monday, John
Tsoho, the presiding judge, asked the EFCC to stay action pending the determination
of the application on notice.
Chukwuma Machukwu-Ume, a senior
advocate of Nigeria (SAN), filed an ex parte application on behalf of the duo,
informing the court that they had gone into hiding due to the threat by the
anti-graft agency to arrest them.
“The spokesman of the EFCC, Mr
Tony Orilade, was alleged to have made the threat to arrest them publicly at a
conference where he represented the EFCC chairman,” Machukwu-Ume said.
“He said they are doing
everything possible to arrest these two gentlemen just for speaking their
minds.
“The EFCC is established to
pursue corruption and not comments made by Nigerians, expressing themselves.”
The judge said he was satisfied
that the duo have made out a case for the court’s intervention and adjourned
the matter till February 4.
“Accordingly, the respondents are
restrained from either arresting or detaining the applicants on grounds of the
applicants’ public statements pending the determination of the application on
notice,” Tsoho said.
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