The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a lawsuit brought by 16 states challenging the validity of the laws that established the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
A seven-member panel of justices unanimously ruled that the suit lacked merit. Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Uwani Abba-Aji addressed the six issues raised by the plaintiffs and resolved them all against the states challenging the legislation.
The apex court held that the laws creating the anti-corruption agencies were within the legislative authority of the National Assembly, confirming their constitutionality.
The plaintiffs had argued that the EFCC Act, being derived from the United Nations Convention against Corruption, required ratification by the majority of state houses of assembly to be enforceable. However, the court dismissed this claim, emphasizing that the National Assembly had acted within its powers under the Nigerian Constitution.
This decision reinforces the authority and legitimacy of the EFCC, ICPC, and NFIU as key institutions in Nigeria’s fight against corruption.
