The Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has dismissed a ₦20 million fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Mrs. Christiana Dagogo-George against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), according to a report published on the Commission’s official website.
In its ruling, Justice U.P. Kekemeke held that the applicant failed to establish any violation of her rights during her arrest and detention in October 2022, and reaffirmed that investigative summons and detention by statutory anti-corruption agencies, within constitutional limits, do not amount to a breach of personal liberty.
Main Story:
Mrs. Dagogo-George, a project manager with Wiseworld Firm Consult Limited, approached the court seeking ₦20 million in damages for what she described as an unlawful arrest, detention, and violation of her fundamental rights by the ICPC.
The dispute arose from an anti-corruption investigation by the Commission into training contracts awarded by the Nigeria Police Trust Fund under the former Acting Executive Secretary, Mr. Mohammed Alhaji Yahaya. ICPC investigations alleged that the applicant secured eight separate training contracts, each valued at ₦36.96 million, using eight affiliated companies. Despite receiving full payment, only three of the trainings reportedly took place.
“An invitation for questioning by a statutory anti-graft agency investigating financial crime does not, on its own, amount to a breach of personal liberty.”
The ICPC further stated in court documents that Mrs. Dagogo-George was granted bail on the day of her initial appearance but subsequently violated bail conditions, failed to attend follow-up meetings, and defaulted until January 2023. The agency also revealed that she admitted to diverting funds and agreed to refund ₦10 million of the unutilized contract payments.
In its defense, the ICPC argued that the applicant’s arrest, detention, and subsequent bail were lawfully executed in accordance with constitutional and statutory provisions governing the Commission’s operations.
Justice Kekemeke dismissed the documents tendered by the applicant as irrelevant and lacking evidentiary weight, describing them as “a mere surplusage.” He ruled that the applicant failed to substantiate any claim for the reliefs sought.
Legal Context:
This ruling underscores the Nigerian judiciary’s reaffirmation of the investigative mandates granted to statutory anti-corruption agencies, such as the ICPC. The court emphasized that personal liberty is protected under the Constitution, but lawful arrest and detention in connection with ongoing criminal investigations, when executed within legal frameworks, do not violate those rights.
What’s Next?
With the suit dismissed, the ICPC is expected to continue its investigation into the suspected mismanagement of over ₦100 million in Police Trust Fund training contracts. The agency may move to recover the ₦10 million refund already acknowledged by the applicant and potentially press criminal charges depending on the final outcomes of its probe.
