The Supreme Court has rejected a lawsuit filed by Kogi State and 15 other states challenging the legality of the laws establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
Delivering a unanimous judgment on Friday, a seven-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, ruled that the case lacked merit. The court dismissed all six issues raised by the plaintiffs and affirmed that the laws establishing the anti-corruption agencies were within the legislative competence of the National Assembly.
The plaintiffs had argued that the EFCC Act, which derives from a United Nations convention on corruption, required ratification by a majority of state Houses of Assembly. The Supreme Court disagreed, emphasizing that the Acts were validly enacted under federal legislative authority.
This decision upholds the mandates of the EFCC, ICPC, and NFIU, reinforcing their roles in combating corruption and financial crimes across the country.
