A
state High Court in Akwa Ibom has given an interim injunction, restraining the
Economic and Financial Crime Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and
Other Related Offences Commission, and the Inspector General of Police from
investigating the finances of the Akwa Ibom State government.
According
to Premium Times, the injunction was given on July 13th, the suit was filed on
behalf of the state government by the state Attorney General, Uwemedimo Nwoko.
Justice
NFN Ntong, the presiding judge of the State High Court, Ikot Ekpene, in
granting the injunction, ruled that EFCC, ICPC, and the police should not
arrest, detain, or investigate “any person or persons whether past or present
official in the Akwa Ibom state government without any report of indictment by
the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, pending the hearing and the
determination of the Motion on Notice filed in this suit in order to forestall
a breakdown of law and order”.
The
judge barred the state accountant general, auditor general, and the state House
of Assembly, including five banks – Zenith Bank, Keystone Bank, FCMB, Skye
Bank, and UBA from disclosing information on the state finances to
investigators from EFCC and other federal agencies.
The
court fixed August 5 for hearing of the Motion on Notice.
EFCC
spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, however disclosed to Premium Times that he was
not aware of the restraining order.
The
Attorney General of Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Nwoko, in an interview yesterday with
Premium Times, said the state government went to court because EFCC wrote
letters to banks requesting documents on state government transactions.
Mr.
Nwoko said Akwa Ibom is a federating unit in the Nigerian federation, and that
EFCC being an agency of the federal government isn’t empowered by the Nigerian
Constitution to investigate the finances of the state.
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