A Federal High Court in Ibadan has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from proceeding with its planned investigation into the finances of the Oyo State Government, ruling that the exercise was speculative.
Justice Nkeonye Maha delivered the judgment in a suit filed by the Oyo State Government, challenging an EFCC letter dated June 2, 2025, requesting details of all state contracts and payments made to contractors between 2021 and 2025.
The court acknowledged the EFCC’s constitutional mandate to investigate financial crimes but held that such powers must be exercised within the provisions of the law and cannot be used for indiscriminate or speculative investigations.
According to the judge, the Commission’s request amounted to a fishing expedition because it did not identify any specific contractor, company, transaction or allegation of wrongdoing. The court also ruled that the constitutional right to fair hearing must be respected in the course of any investigation.
The Oyo State Government told the court it had asked the EFCC to specify the contractors or transactions under investigation so the relevant documents could be provided. However, after receiving no response from the Commission, the state approached the court for interpretation of the law.
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Counsel to the state, led by Attorney General Abiodun Aikomo, argued that the broad request for records covering several years was unreasonable, oppressive and not backed by any specific allegation.
The EFCC, through its counsel, I. G. Ojibor, argued that Section 38 of the EFCC Act empowers the Commission to demand information from any individual, authority or institution in the course of its investigations.
In his ruling, Justice Maha set aside the EFCC’s June 2, 2025 letter, declaring that while the Commission has the power to request information, such requests must be reasonable, based on identifiable allegations and directly connected to investigations of offences under the EFCC Act.
