The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has noted with concern, the judgement of Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, in which Justice Folasade Giwa Ogunbanjo restrained the Commission from declaring the Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Malam Abudulrasheed Maina, wanted, as well as gave an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the EFCC and its affiliates or related bodies from further declaring Maina wanted in relation to the issue of the pension scam.
As a Commission, we state that such a pronouncement amounts to a clog on the wheels of our operations in execution of our statutory duties. The judgement must not be allowed to stand because it is not only a miscarriage of justice but grossly inimical to the culture of corrupt-free society which the Commission is striving so hard to enthrone. We will therefore, appeal the judgement.
We further wish to state that we will not relent to do all that is required within the ambit of the law in our avowed commitment to bring every Nigerian with ill-gotten wealth to justice.
The EFCC had in 2017, declared Maina wanted, following his refusal to honour the Commission’s invitations.
But in his bid to evade the long arm of the law, Maina, on September 5, 2018, in a suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/957/2918, asked the court to decide whether the Commission can lawfully exercise powers of declaring him wanted, either on its official website or any other media platform, or “harass him.”
Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
