Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Tuesday restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting former defence minister Lawal Batagarawa, over a land dispute.
The judge also stopped the EFCC from inviting, harassing, intimidating, or threatening Batagarawa pending further proceedings.
The orders followed allegations that Batagarawa had been subjected to undue harassment by the commission.
Justice Halilu equally granted an order for substituted service of the originating process and other legal documents on EFCC.
He added that other respondents be delivered the summons at the commission’s office located at Plot 301/302, Institution and Research Cadastral District in Jabi, Abuja.
The EFCC, its Head of the Bank Fraud Section, Sanusi Mohammed, Investigating Police Officer, Umar Imran, Patrick Ineke, and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) were listed as respondents in the suit.
Counsel to Batagarawa, Jerry Aondo (SAN), initiated the application citing a series of actions by the EFCC that amounted to harassment and intimidation over a disputed plot of land.
In an affidavit dated September 20, Batagarawa detailed various instances of harassment, including his detention at the EFCC’s office on August 19 and August 20 before he was released on administrative bail.
The former minister also alleged that he had been subjected to repeated summons and phone calls from EFCC agents.
The judge adjourned the case till October 31 for the hearing of the substantive motion on the enforcement of Batagarawa’s fundamental rights.
