News
Court awards damages against EFCC over rights violation
The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to pay N3 million to a businessman, Idaresit Monday Ekpo, for breaching his fundamental rights.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu declared the confiscation of his International Passport since 2015 as illegal and a gross violation of his rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement and right to own property.
He ordered the anti-graft agency to release the passport without further delay.
Justice Dipeolu ordered the EFCC to forthwith delete the businessman’s name and picture(s) from its wanted list and to pay him N3 million as damages for reputational harm done to him.
The judge made the orders in a judgment on a fundamental rights enforcement suit FHC/L/CS/1885/2024 filed by the businessman with EFCC as the sole respondent.
Ekpo, through his lawyer, C. Anyanwu, sought a declaration that the seizure of the applicant’s passport and continuous publication of his name and picture on the respondent’s wanted list were unlawful and unconstitutional, as they violated his right to dignity guaranteed under Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution and Article’5 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
He prayed the court to order the deletion of his name from the wanted list, the release of his passport, and N100 million in damages.
Justice Dipeolu held that: “Having failed to challenge the applicant’s affidavit in support of the application, the respondent has admitted all the depositions therein as true and unchallenged.
“The continuous seizure of the applicant’s International Passport by the respondent since 2015 is illegal, unconstitutional and a gross violation of the applicant’s fundamental rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement and right to own and retain possession of property guaranteed under Sections 35 (1), 41 (1), and 44 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) and Article 12 (1) of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
“The respondent is to forthwith delete the applicant’s name and picture(s) from the Respondent’s wanted list including but not limited to the list published on the Respondent’s website, social media accounts and those within the premises of the Respondent across the country.
“The respondent is directed to forthwith release to the applicant his International Passport without any further delay.
“The respondent is directed to pay the sum of N3million in favour of the applicant as damages done to the applicant’s reputation and the stigma occasioned as a result of the infringement of his fundamental rights.”
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Supreme Court has set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja recognising Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
In a unanimous judgment, a five-member panel of the apex court held that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to have pronounced Abure National Chairman of the Labour Party, after finding out earlier that the substance of the case was about the party’s leadership.
The apex court held that the issue of leadership was an internal affair of a party over which courts lacked jurisdiction.
The court further allowed the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and one other and held that it was meritorious.
It also proceeded to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by the Abure group of the Labour Party for being unmeritorious.
More shortly…
The political adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has resigned.
The former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) tendered his resignation about two weeks ago.
Presidential sources were quoted as saying Dr. Baba-Ahmed did not provide details of the reasons for his decision and only stated that it was on personal grounds.
Baba-Ahmed was appointed Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima in September 2023.
Over the past 17 months, he has represented the presidency at several public fora, including a recent national conference themed: “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity”, which held from 28th to 29th January, 2025 in Abuja.
Daily Trust
News
There’s valid evidence of Akpabio sexually harassing me; I’ll release it, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan declares
Kogi Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has vowed to release evidence of Senator Godswill Akpabio sexually harassing her at the right time.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan disclosed this in an interview with Channels TV on Thursday night when told that Mr Akpabio said she has no evidence to back up her sexual harassment allegation against him.
“At the right time and at the right space, I will present the evidence that I have,” Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan said.
Aniete Ekong, spokesperson for Mr Akpabio, could not be reached for comment on Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s statement. A WhatsApp message sent to him was not replied to.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s statement comes after the Independent National Electoral Commission dismissed the recall petition filed against her on Thursday.
The Kogi Central lawmaker was suspended from the Senate on February 28 after she accused Mr Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office.
The Senate suspended her for six months, withheld her salaries, and withdrew her security detail, citing unruly behavior during plenary.
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