A Kogi State High Court on Monday ordered the arrest of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba.
The court issued the order in response to Bawa’s apparent violation of a court order.
The IGP was also instructed to put Bawa in Kuje prison for 14 days till he repents of his disdain.
In his decision, the sitting judge, Justice R.O. Ayoola, allowed the EFCC chairman’s appeal for committal to prison for defying a court rule delivered on November 30, 2022.
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In this case, the EFCC chairman was ordered to present the applicant, Ali Bello.
Ali Bello had taken Bawa to court for unjustly arresting and detaining him, and the court ruled in his favor, only for the EFCC to arraign him three days later for alleged money laundering.
The EFCC’s appeals for setting aside and postponing the ruling’s execution were denied for lack of substance.
The Court had, in Form 49, Order IX, Rule 13, marked, “HCL/697M/2022” and titled, “Notice to Show Cause Why Order of Committal Should not be Made,” asked the EFCC Chairman to appear before it on January 18, 2022, to explain why he should not be jailed for flouting the order given on December 12, 2022, in a case filed by Ali Bello against the EFCC and Bawa, as the 1st and 2nd respondents, respectively.
The court ordered that the EFCC and Bawa be served with the application for notice and Form 49 by alternate means.
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The court had declared the applicant’s arrest and detention in violation of a valid court order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction and without a warrant of arrest “or being informed of the offence for which he was arrested” to be unlawful, unconstitutional, and in violation of the personal liberty and dignity of the human person guaranteed by Chapter IV of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. (as amended).
The court also ordered the respondents to apologize to the applicant in a national publication and gave him N10 million in compensation.
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