An FCT High Court presided by Justice Abubakar Musa has ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), to arrest the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, for disobeying court order.
The court also ordered arrest of Aliyu Yusuf, the Head, Proceeds of Crime Unit at the EFCC.
According to a court document, Chief Ikechi Emenike, a former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, had approached the court over a property which was allegedly forfeited to the Federal Government as proceeds of corruption.
The property, a 5- bedroom duplex with a 2- room boys quarters, is situated at number 6 Aso Drive, Abuja.
The Emenike had offered to buy the property, where he currently lives, which was valued at over N380 million, but the EFCC refused and sent operatives to block all entries to the property.
Chief Emenike then approached the court seeking order for the EFCC to allow him exercise the right of first refusal for the purchase of the house.
He claimed that the EFCC planned to sell the property to a third party without allowing him, “who is a sitting tenant exercise first right of refusal,” describing it as oppressive and unfair,.
However, the court ordered EFCC to leave the property and ordered it not to prevent Chief Emenike and his household from moving in and out of their residence.
But the commission allegedly disobeyed the order and Chief Emenike initiated contempt proceedings against both the chairman of EFCC and the head of the asset recovery team.
According to the court documents obtained, EFCC had disobeyed the first order that was made on the 9th November 2023 which was an interim order. It also disobeyed the interlocutory order made on 6th December 2023, and had proceeded to arrest both Chief Eminike and his wife.
The APC chieftain then approached the court seeking for the conviction of both Olukoyede and Yusuf for failing to comply with the court orders.
However, according to the court ruling on Tuesday (23th January 2024), Justice Musa ordered the arrest of the EFCC Chairman and the head of Proceeds of Crime Unit .
The judge ruled that ” after listening to Adeyemi Pitan esq counsel for the claimant argue in favour of the application, and Hadiza Afegbu esq counsel for the defendant informing the court that she has no response to the application;
“It is hereby ordered as follows: that an order is hereby made directing the Inspector-General of police to arrest Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Aliyu Yusuf, Head, Proceeds of Crime Unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the purpose of committing them to prison for disobeying the orders of this Honourable Court contained in the ruling of the court delivered on the 6th day of December 2023.
“That an order is hereby made directing Ola Olukayode, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Aliyu Yusuf, Head, Proceeds of Crime Unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to appear before this court on the date mentioned in this order to show cause why an order for their committal to prison should not be made.”
After the ruling, the judge adjourned the sitting 25th January 2024 for hearing.
Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesman, promised to get back to our correspondent when he was contacted for a response on Wednesday afternoon but didn’t respond as at the time of filing this report.
