A Federal High Court in Ibadan has officially barred the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from continuing its probe into Oyo State’s financial records. Justice Nkeonye Maha ruled that the agency’s actions were merely speculative and resembled an improper fishing expedition.
The legal dispute stemmed from an EFCC directive sent on June 2, 2025, which demanded comprehensive details on all state contracts and contractor payments dating back to 2021. The state government had challenged this request, noting that the agency failed to specify which transactions were actually under scrutiny. Represented by Attorney-General Abiodun Aikomo, the plaintiffs argued that the broad request was both unreasonable and an overreach of the commission’s authority.
While the EFCC legal team cited Section 38 of the 2004 EFCC Act to justify their expansive search for information, Justice Maha disagreed. The court clarified that while the EFCC has the mandate to investigate financial crimes, it must operate within constitutional bounds. The judge emphasized that investigative requests must be anchored to specific, credible allegations rather than general, unsubstantiated searches. Consequently, the court invalidated the June 2 directive and issued an order prohibiting the EFCC from pursuing the investigation based on that particular request.
