Ede Ogaba Ede,
Makurdi
The Benue State Government has discontinued its lawsuit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
This followed a motion of discontinuance filed on the 24th of October 2024.
Benue State has thus become the 4th state to withdraw participation in the suit filed by 19 state governments challenging the legality of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies.
The suit, marked SC/CV/178/2023, was initiated by the Kogi State government and subsequently joined by 18 other states among them Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Enugu, Oyo, Benue, Anambra, Plateau, Cross River, Ondo, Niger, Edo, Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba, Ebonyi, and Imo states.
At the commencement of the hearing on Tuesday before a seven-member panel of justices led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, Anambra, Adamawa, and Ebonyi states informed the court of their decisions to withdraw from the suit.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, who on Thursday, 24th October, announced the indefinite suspension from the office of the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Barr. Bemsen Mnyim, for acting ultra vires in joining the state to the suit, said it was wrong for the state government that is trying to recover monies stolen by the last administration to be challenging the same agencies that are helping them to recover the money.
“My administration is holding accountable those who embezzled money and drained our state dry. The EFCC and ICPC are assisting us in this effort.
“How can I now turn around and begin to challenge these watchdogs?”