Court Rejects Suit Seeking to Halt ICPC Investigation
The Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Kurudu, Abuja, has declined jurisdiction to hear a suit filed to restrain the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) from carrying out its statutory investigative functions.
The suit was instituted by Adediran Seyi and his firm, Equilibrium Management Limited, following an invitation extended to them by the Commission over a petition it received.
Rather than honour the invitation, the applicants approached the court seeking orders to prevent the ICPC and other respondents from inviting or investigating them. They also sought enforcement of their alleged fundamental rights, claiming a likelihood of infringement by the Commission and other parties.
In response, counsel to the ICPC, Leslie Iheduru, described the suit as speculative, vexatious, and lacking in merit. The Commission argued that the applicants failed to provide credible evidence of any actual or threatened violation of their fundamental rights.
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The ICPC further maintained that the action was an attempt to obstruct lawful investigation, stressing that an invitation by a law enforcement agency does not amount to a breach of rights. It relied on judicial precedent, including the Court of Appeal decision in Onnis & Ors v. Alakija & Ors (2018), to support its position.
Delivering judgment on April 28, 2026, Justice Katsina Alu held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter. The court found that the applicants failed to comply with procedural requirements under Section 46 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, particularly in filing a joint application improperly.
The ruling underscores the necessity of strict adherence to due process in fundamental rights enforcement cases and affirms that law enforcement agencies should not be impeded in the discharge of their lawful duties.
The ICPC, in a statement issued by its Head of Media and Public Communications, J. Okor Odey, reiterated its commitment to lawful operations and urged the public to cooperate with ongoing investigations.
By PRNigeria
