The Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has dismissed a suit filed by the state government challenging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) powers to investigate its financial activities.
Justice M.A. Onyetenu dismissed the suit on Thursday, October 8, 2026, after upholding a preliminary objection filed by the EFCC’s legal team.
The suit was instituted by the state’s then Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uwemedimo Nwoko, following an EFCC investigation into allegations that state resources had been diverted from public welfare and development.
The investigation began after some indigenes petitioned the commission in 2016, prompting it to investigate the allegations and invite some government officials for questioning.
Rather than honour the invitations, the officials approached the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Ikot Ekpene through the state Attorney-General to challenge the commission’s actions.
The Attorney-General subsequently filed a separate suit at the Federal High Court, also challenging the EFCC’s authority to investigate the state government’s financial activities.
On July 6, 2016, the state secured an interim restraining order from the late Justice F.O. Riman, barring the EFCC and other federal agencies from taking certain actions pending the determination of the case.
The order was later relied upon to challenge the commission’s attempts to invite state officials for questioning.
An appeal against the restraining order was unsuccessful, with the Court of Appeal directing the parties to return to the trial court and await the determination of the substantive suit.
EFCC counsel Joshua Abolarin subsequently filed a preliminary objection, arguing that the Federal High Court suit was incompetent because a similar case involving the parties remained pending before the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Ikot Ekpene.
Justice Onyetenu upheld the objection and dismissed the suit.
The ruling brings a fresh development in the prolonged legal dispute over the EFCC’s authority to investigate the financial activities of the Akwa Ibom State Government.
The dismissal was based on the preliminary objection concerning the pending state court case.
The supplied account does not establish that the court separately determined the full merits of the EFCC’s investigative powers.
