The Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a fundamental rights suit filed by Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, popularly known as Bobrisky, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Bobrisky had sought ₦200 million in damages, alleging a breach of his fundamental rights by the anti-graft agency.
Justice Owoeye stated that the applicant failed to provide credible evidence to support his allegations against the EFCC.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, November 28, 2024, Justice Alexander Owoeye ruled that Bobrisky’s claims of rights violation were unsubstantiated and lacked merit.
One of the reliefs sought was an “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondents” from harassing, declaring him wanted, arresting or detaining him “whether by themselves, their officers, servants, agents…”.
In another relief, Bobrisky prayed the court to award the sum of N200million against the EFCC as damages he allegedly suffered from the activities of the Commission regarding his arrest and trial.
After evaluating all the reliefs he sought, Justice Owoeye ruled that “having evaluated the evidence placed before this Court by the Applicant, it is evident that the Applicant has failed to provide credible evidence to justify the award of the declaratory and injunctive reliefs sought by him.”
The judge further stated that, “in the final analysis, I hold the claims of violation of fundamental rights against the 1st and 2nd Respondents were not made out of the affidavit evidence placed before this Court. The claim of the Applicant against the 1st to the 2nd Respondents hereby lacks merit and is liable to be dismissed. It is accordingly dismissed.”
The judge also refused to award any damage against the EFCC.
Bobrisky had dragged both the EFCC and the National Assembly before the court and all the reliefs he sought were thrown out.
He was originally arrested by the EFCC on April 4, 2024 by the Commission for Naira abuse. His arrest eventually led to his six months conviction by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on April 12, 2024.
