Court Upholds Fani-Kayode’s Prolonged Detention by EFCC

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

An Abuja High Court wednesday dismissed an application filed by a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, seeking the enforcement of his fundamental human rights.

Fani-Kayode was charged with a 17-count charge of money laundering alongside a former finance minister, Nenadi Usman, and Danjuma Yusuf.

Following his detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Fani-Kayode filed an application to enforce his fundamental rights to freedom.
He had approached the court on June 2, to complain about his continued detention by the anti-graft commission.

But Justice Adeboyega Adeniyi who heard the case, said the EFCC was constitutionally right to have detained Fani-Kayode since May.

He said the detention was in accordance with the EFCC Act.
He also held the remand order obtained from a Lagos Magistrate Court was within the provisions of chapter 4 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.

Adeniyi further said the decision of the EFCC to obtain a second remand order, before the expiration of the first, was right decision.

The former aviation minister had been in detention since May 6 on the allegation that N840 million was paid into his account on the eve of the 2015 general election.

The money is suspected to be part of the $2.1billion allegedly misappropriated by a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).