Court Dismisses Firms’ Suit Against EFCC, CEO

Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a suit filed by Woobs Resources Limited, one of its directors, Whoba Ogo,  to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from investigating them.

The two applicants and another firm, Sandworth Properties Limited, had dragged the EFCC and the managing director/chief executive officer of Woobs Resources Limited, James Onyemenam, before the court, seeking an order restraining the anti-graft agency from investigating the management of the companies (first and second applicants) or meddling with their activities.

The judge, while striking out the suit for lacking in merit, held that Onyemenam, the second Respondent in the case, is still a shareholder and Director of Woobs Resources Limited, and he can call for the investigation of the activities of the Applicants.

The court also awarded a cost of N100,000 against the applicants in favour of each of the respondents.

The applicants had in suit no FHC/L/CS/1351/22 filed through their lawyer Victor Ukutt, argued that EFCC has no power to meddle with the civil case between them and the second respondent.

They also prayed the court to declare that it is unlawful for the EFCC to interfere or investigate the management and private businesses of the first and second Applicants.

The third applicant (Ogo) stated that the second respondent (Onyemenam) is not a shareholder and has no right to petition the EFCC.

He insisted that the petition was based on the civil dispute between the first and third applicants on one part and the 2nd respondent on the other part, which is pending at the Court of Appeal.

The third applicant alleged that the EFCC sealed off his properties and blocked his account and that he couldn’t access his account to take care of his ill health abroad, as well as pay his staff.

However, the anti-graft agency and the second respondent submitted that they received a petition dated April 6, 2021, against the third applicant, signed by the second respondent on behalf of the first applicant, alleging fraudulent conversion and diversion of funds of the first applicant.