Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has taken legal action against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged plan to arrest and prosecute him after his tenure.
His tenure is set to end on May 28, 2027.
In a fundamental rights suit filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, Sanwo-Olu raised seven questions and sought 11 reliefs from the court.
He asked the court to declare that he is “entitled to the right to private and family life as a minimum guarantee encapsulated under the Constitution of the Republic of Nigeria, before, during, and after occupation of public office created by the constitution.”
Sanwo-Olu argued that the plan to arrest him is “unconstitutional and a flagrant violation of his fundamental right to personal liberty and freedom of movement as stipulated under sections 35(1) & (4) and 41(1) of the constitution.”
The Lagos Governor is seeking an order of the court restraining the EFCC from harassing, intimidating, arresting, detaining, interrogating, or prosecuting him in connection with his tenure as Governor.
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He also urged the court to prevent the EFCC from seizing his properties, international passport, and travel documents, or freezing his bank accounts and those of his family members.
According to an affidavit deposed in support of the suit, the EFCC is allegedly planning to arrest Sanwo-Olu’s aides and family members based on false allegations of diversion of funds.
The Commission is also accused of pressuring Sanwo-Olu’s aides to make incriminating statements against him and threatening to arrest contractors handling State government projects.
During Tuesday’s court hearing, Sanwo-Olu’s counsel, Darlington Ozurumba, informed the court that he had withdrawn the earlier originating summons and replaced it with a new one.
The EFCC’s counsel, Hadiza Afegbua, claimed she had not seen the new documents.
The Presiding Judge, Joyce Abdulmalik, adjourned the matter to November 11 for further mention.
