Court Halts EFCC’s Arrest of Ex-Defence Minister over Land Dispute

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi, Abuja, has granted an interim injunction restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting or detaining former Defence Minister, Lawal Batagarawa, in connection with a land dispute.

 The order, issued by Justice Yusuf Halilu on Tuesday, also prevents the EFCC from inviting, harassing, or intimidating Batagarawa until further court proceedings.

The court’s decision came in response to claims that the ex-minister had been subjected to undue harassment by the anti-graft agency.

The dispute centres around a plot of land in the Gudu District of Abuja, allocated to Batagarawa’s company, Lamda Beta Investment Limited, by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in 2001.

In addition to halting any further action by the EFCC, Justice Halilu ordered substituted service of the originating process and other legal documents on the commission and other respondents involved in the case. The judge set the hearing for the motion on notice for October 31, 2024.

In an affidavit filed by Batagarawa, he alleged multiple instances of harassment, including being detained by the EFCC from August 19 to 20, 2024, and being subjected to repeated summons and threatening phone calls.

The ex-minister claimed that the EFCC’s actions were instigated by Patrick Ineke, the 4th respondent in the case, who falsely claimed ownership of the disputed land based on a transaction involving a deceased individual and a former aide of Batagarawa.

Batagarawa provided evidence to the court that the land had been legitimately allocated to his company, presenting proof of payment made in 2001.