The Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by several state Attorneys General seeking to abolish the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act.
Originally brought forward by Attorneys General from 16 states, the case aimed to disband not just the EFCC but also the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). Over time, some states withdrew from the case, while others sought to join as co-plaintiffs.
Delivering its unanimous verdict, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court ruled that the suit lacked merit. Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, who delivered the lead judgment, resolved all six issues raised in the case against the plaintiffs.
The Court affirmed that the laws establishing the anti-corruption agencies were within the legislative powers of the National Assembly. It also dismissed the argument that the EFCC Act required ratification by a majority of state Houses of Assembly, despite being linked to a United Nations convention on corruption.
This ruling reaffirms the legal standing of the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies as critical tools in Nigeria’s fight against graft.
