Court says declaring Emefiele’s wife wanted illegal

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos says it is illegal for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to declare the wife of the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Magaret Emefiele, as a wanted person.

Justice Deinde Dipeolu stated this in line with the fundamental rights petition that Mrs. Emefiele had submitted.

In addition, the court ordered the EFCC to pay N3 million for violating her fundamental human right.

Mrs Emefiele in the suit, she noted that the decision by the EFCC to add her name to its wanted persons list without any valid charge and or court order is a violation of her fundamental human right.

She also asked the court to order the EFCC to remove her name and photograph from the wanted persons’ list on its website and to tender apologize to her for the alleged rights infringement in two national television stations and three newspapers.

Justice Dipeolu agreed that it was illegal for the EFCC to have published the name and photograph of Mrs Emefiele on its website as a wanted person without complying with the provisions of Sections 41 and 42 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA) 2015 and without any valid charge and/or a court order to that effect.

The respondents is directed to issue a public apology to the Applicant on its website where the name and photographs of the applicant was published among list of persons wanted.