EFCC to appeal ruling on Benue’s account

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said it would appeal a Federal High Court judgment on the freezing of Benue State account by the anti-graft agency.

A statement from acting EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade yesterday said having reviewed the judgment of Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, which awarded N50million damages against the Commission and N25million each against UBA and Fidelity Bank in favour of the state government, the Commission will appeal the ruling.

Orilade said it was important that the verdict of the court is out to test the verdict the first instance in a superior court on the grounds that if a verdict such as this is allowed to stand, it may undermine the patriotic efforts of the Commission in tackling corruption.

The EFCC investigated the financial dealings of the state governor in August last year and directed for a temporary freeze of the government’s account with UBA and Fidelity Bank.

Orilade said, “We wish to state with a high sense of responsibility that we have, as a Commission, taken such actions as a necessity, since it is within our mandate, derived from the law.”

He said, “We also wish to state that our lawyers are making necessary arrangements to challenge the verdict, as we believe that the judgment is a miscarriage of justice that cannot stand the test of time.”