Yakubu Sues Efcc, Insists Seized N3bn Were Ceremonial Gifts

BEVERLY HILLS, March 07, (THEWILL) – A former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Andrew Yakubu, has restated his claim that the $9,772,800 and £74,000 recovered from where he kept them in a house in Kaduna last month were gifts he got over a period of time.

Yakubu wants the Federal High Court, Abuja, to award N1 billion against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as damages and compensation for violation‎ of his rights.

Yakubu also prayed the court for a declaration that he was entitled to the dignity of his person, personal liberty, freedom of movement, private and family life as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

Counsel to Yakubu, Adeola Adedipe told the court that the matter was brought pursuant to Order 8 Rule 4 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules as he joined the EFCC and the Attorney-General of the Federation as first and second respondents in the suit.

He also prayed the court to declare that his continued detention by the EFCC without charging him to court or allowing him to complete his medical procedure in the United Kingdom was a violation of his rights.

The former NNPC boss asked the court to declare that his continued detention was also an infringement on his rights to dignity of human person.

He subsequently, prayed the court for an order enforcing his rights to personal liberty, dignity of human person, freedom of movement, private and family life.

This, he said, was by directing his immediate release from EFCC custody or admitting him to bail on liberal terms and allowing him to complete his medical treatment in the UK.

Yakubu also prayed for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC from further detaining him unlawfully.

A counter-affidavit by the EFCC declared that investigation into the allegations against Yakubu is ongoing and the interim findings reveal that the monies found in his house are not gifts but are monies suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has therefore fixed March 9 for hearing on the suit.

THEWILL recalls that, on February 3 , operatives of the EFCC stormed a building belonging to Yakubu and recovered a staggering sum of $9,772,000 and £74,000 stashed in a huge fire proof safe while he reported reported to the Commission's Kano Zonal Office on February 8, where he admitted being the owner of both the house and the money recovered.