Supreme Court rules in suit challenging EFCC’s establishment

The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the suit filed by 16 states challenging the constitutionality of the laws establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and two others to a date to be communicated to the parties.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Imo, Bauchi, and Osun states joined the suit as co-plaintiffs while Anambra, Ebonyi, and Adamawa states announced their decisions to withdraw their suits.

The trio’s suits were struck out, accordingly, by the court.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) who was present in court as the defendant, had craved the court’s indulgence to take the process they filed on Tuesday morning.

Justice Uwani Abba-Aji thereby granted leave to the defendant to use the reply on point of law filed on Tuesday.

The states that joined in the suit marked: SC/CV/178/2023 include Enugu, Benue, Anambra, Plateau, Cross-River, Niger and Ondo, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa states.

The Apex Court had earlier this month fixed October 2022 for the hearing of a suit challenging the constitutionality of the laws establishing the EFCC and two others.

Also, the Kogi State AG had, in suit number SC/CV/178/2023, sued the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as the sole defendant.