The Federal High Court sitting in Jos has thrown out a N1.25 billion damages suit filed by Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo state, against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the EFCC for lack of merit.
Okorocha filed the suit against the IGP and EFCC in November 2018 for allegedly invading and ransacking his house in Jos.
Delivering judgment, Justice Musa Kurya said, “Even though there was no record of how the search warrant was obtained but a search warrant dated May 3, 2017 from a Magistrate has been attached as exhibit before this court.
“Whether due process was followed or not at obtaining the search warrant, there is no proof otherwise to its genuineness and the breach of sections 34 – 37 of the UN human rights and African Charter.
“Consequently, judgment is hereby entered in favour of the respondents. The applicant’s claims are hereby refused.
“I hereby declare that the application of the applicant lacked merit and is hereby dismissed and cost is not awarded to either parties in this suit,” the Judge declared.
Okorocha had alleged that the IGP and the anti-graft agency breached his fundamental human rights following the May 3, 2017 invasion.
Also joined in the suit are the Commissioner of Police of Plateau, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The Governor prayed the court to declare the action of the police and EFCC as “illegal, null and void’’ and award the sum of N1.25 billion as general damages because there was no valid court warrant for such an exercise.
But the IGP and the EFCC, through their counsel, Edwin Inegbenoise and Muktar Ali-Ahmed, pleaded with the court to dismiss the governor’s application for lack of merit since a court warrant was obtained for the search on his residence in accordance with the law.
