The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed a suit filed by 19 states challenging the constitutionality of the laws establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
The 19 states involved were Kogi, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Enugu, Oyo, Benue, Anambra, Plateau, Cross River, Ondo, Niger, Edo, Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba, Ebonyi, and Imo.
Although Ogun and Nasarawa states were listed as parties, their cases, which separately contested the NFIU guidelines and advisory, were assigned distinct suit numbers and similarly dismissed.
Six of the 19 states—Anambra, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Benue, Jigawa, and Enugu—later withdrew from the case. However, Supreme Court records indicated that the judgment applied to all 19 plaintiffs.
In a unanimous decision led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, the seven-member panel dismissed the suit for lacking merit.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Abba-Aji resolved the six issues raised by the plaintiffs against them. The court ruled that the laws establishing the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies were validly enacted by the National Assembly within its legislative competence.
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