Former Osun State deputy governor, Iyiola Omisore, has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to pay him N500 million as damages for declaring him “wanted” and alleging that he failed to honour its invitation.
Mr. Omisore threatened to sue the commission, and its head of media and publicity, if the payment is not made.
Mr. Omisore is wanted by the EFCC in connection with an allegation that he received and misappropriated over N700 million from the office of the National Security Adviser.
In a letter dated 25th May 2016, addressed to Ibrahim Magu, chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Omisore, through his lawyer, Chris Uche, said the publication declaring him wanted as published in some national dailies, was both malicious and false.
Mr. Uche said the publication was not just malicious, but a total falsehood in all its material aspect.
“Our client has not refused to make himself available to the commission, but rather has proceeded to the court to seek the protection of the court when he perceived that the invitation was a deliberate plot to unlawfully arrest and detain him,” he said.
“The high court of the federal capital territory in suit number FCT/HC/CV1456/2016 had granted an interim order in the following terms, in favour of our client to wit:
“An order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the first and second and second respondent by themselves, their agents, officers, servants, privies or anybody, howsoever described from unlawfully arresting, detaining or in any manner interfering with the fundamental rights of the applicant without following the due process of law.”
According to him, the commission was not only aware that the order protected his client from the invitation, but the commission filed a counter affidavit and a preliminary objection to challenge the order of being an impediment to the discharge of its statutory duty.
“Your commission was represented before the honourable court on the 24th of April 2016 when the matter came up, yet you are callously alleging that our client refused to honour an invitation by your commission,” Mr. Uche argued.
