A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by 161 Chinese and Nigerian nationals against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice James Omotosho delivered the ruling on Thursday, finding no merit in the case brought by the suspects detained for alleged internet fraud.
The applicants, including Chinese nationals Zhang Xiaowen, Liu Zhiwei, Chen Yeqiu, and Lan Shunbin, argued that their detention from January 9 without a court order violated their fundamental rights. Represented by lawyer Ishaka Dikko (SAN), they claimed the EFCC’s actions, including the seizure of passports and prolonged detention, were illegal.
EFCC conducted a raid on Venus Spark Impact Media Ltd’s office in Abuja, detaining 160 employees beyond the constitutionally prescribed period without court orders. The suspects sought a declaration from the court that their detention and passport confiscations were unlawful and demanded N5 billion in damages.
The EFCC defended its actions, stating the suspects were involved in fraudulent activities posing national security risks, and only those meeting bail terms were released. Justice Omotosho ruled the suspects’ rights were enforceable but not absolute. He found the EFCC’s remand orders obtained from magistrates on January 10 and January 24 justified given the investigation’s complexity.
The judge concluded the detention and passport seizures during the investigation did not violate the suspects’ fundamental rights. The court’s decision validates the EFCC’s actions under national security and judicial protocols, dismissing the applicants’ suit as lacking merit.
