A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has awarded N15 million to the Koko-Ama community in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, ruling against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
The community had previously filed a N100 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the EFCC over the alleged invasion and seizure of their waterfront.
The incident reportedly took place in 2023 during an EFCC operation targeting suspected illegal oil bunkering activities.
In their lawsuit, the Koko-Ama residents demanded N100 billion in compensation for the alleged infringement of their fundamental human rights.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice Rita Oguguo ruled that the EFCC had no legal basis to invade an entire community while searching for specific individuals.
She awarded N15 million in damages against the EFCC.
Justice Oguguo also ordered the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel from the community’s waterfront within 24 hours, warning against any future invasions under the pretext of pursuing individuals.
Speaking to journalists outside the courtroom, the Koko-Ama community’s lawyer, Chime Sunday, expressed disappointment with the compensation amount awarded.
Sunday said “the community would review the judgment and decide on the next course of action.”
