Court orders EFCC to apologise to Dubai-based bizman for declaring him wanted, awards damages
The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to apologise to Dubai-based businessman, Alhaji Rabiu Auwalu Tijjani, for wrongly declaring him wanted, a decision the court described as unlawful, ruling that the Commission violated his fundamental rights.
Delivering judgment, Justice H. Buhari held that the EFCC acted outside the law when it published Tijjani’s name and photograph on its official website without first obtaining a court order or exhausting all available procedural avenues.
The judgment was contained in a certified true copy issued by the court on Thursday.
Background of the Case
The Kano-born Tijjani, a renowned gold merchant based in Dubai, had filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the EFCC and businessman Mr. Ifeanyi Ezeokoli, following the Commission’s July 11, 2025, online publication declaring him wanted over a disputed commercial transaction.
According to a court documents, the applicant and the second respondent had engaged in a multi-million-dollar gold-related transaction in 2022. While both parties initially reconciled an overpayment of ₦26 million, a later independent audit allegedly revealed a further discrepancy of over $2 million in the applicant’s favour.
Tijjani reported the matter to the Department of State Services (DSS), and both parties submitted documents for investigation, including engaging independent auditors. However, while the DSS investigation was still ongoing, Ezeokoli petitioned the EFCC.
The EFCC later contacted Tijjani via WhatsApp during its investigation, after which he sent a representative. He told the court that neither he nor his representative was subsequently invited again before the Commission proceeded to publish him as wanted, an action he said damaged his reputation and business interests globally.
Court’s Ruling
Justice Buhari held that although the EFCC has statutory powers to declare a suspect wanted, such action must strictly follow due process, including securing an order of a competent court.
He noted that the arrest warrant obtained by the Commission from a Magistrate’s Court did not authorize a public declaration of the applicant as wanted.
SolaceBase reports that the court also emphasized that the EFCC must not meddle in disputes arising purely from civil or commercial transactions, especially where another security agency, such as the DSS, is already handling the matter.
Citing multiple appellate decisions, the judge stressed that investigative bodies must not be used as tools for settling commercial disagreements or enforcing debt repayment.
Reliefs Granted
The court declared the EFCC’s publication as: Unconstitutional, a violation of Tijjani’s rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement, and a breach of due process.
Justice Buhari therefore ordered the following: The EFCC must immediately remove the publication declaring Tijjani wanted from its website.
A public apology must be issued to the applicant. The EFCC must pay Tijjani ₦5 million as damages.
While the applicant originally sought ₦1.5 billion in damages and other extensive reliefs, the court granted only a portion of the requests.
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