The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Kogi State and 15 other states that challenged the legality of the laws establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as two other anti-corruption agencies: the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
In a unanimous decision on Friday, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court ruled that the lawsuit lacked merit.
The lead judgment, delivered by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, addressed and resolved the six issues presented in the suit against the plaintiffs.
The court affirmed that the laws governing the anti-corruption agencies were validly enacted by the National Assembly within its legislative authority.
The justices rejected the plaintiffs’ argument that the EFCC Act, which is based on the United Nations Convention against Corruption, should have been ratified by a majority of the state Houses of Assembly.
