Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has secured court approval to amend two lawsuits he filed against Nigeria’s top anti-corruption agencies.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided by Justice Inyang Ekwo, granted Saraki’s request on Monday to modify his cases against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and others.
Representing Saraki, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Tunde Afe-Babalola filed the amendment motion on July 29.
The defence lawyers did not oppose the request, leading Justice Ekwo to approve it. The judge set a hearing date for February 6, 2025, warning, “Any counsel causing delay will be personally penalised.”
The legal battle began in May 2019, when Saraki filed suits against six respondents, including the Attorney-General, Inspector-General of Police, and State Security Service.
These cases challenged the EFCC’s probe into Saraki’s finances dating back to his tenure as Kwara State Governor from 2003 to 2011, during which some of his properties in Lagos were seized.
Initially, retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo issued an order instructing the anti-corruption bodies to halt the probe. However, the case was reassigned multiple times, eventually reaching Justice Ekwo after Justice Chikere’s retirement.
Monday’s approval allows Saraki to refine his legal approach amid the longstanding dispute with the EFCC, whose counsel previously argued that Saraki used the court’s order to avoid interrogation for over two years.
The February 2025 hearing will determine the course of this protracted legal standoff.
