Court Asked to Force EFCC to Prosecute Three Former Abia Governors

Court Asked to Force EFCC to Prosecute Three Former Abia Governors

Fresh pressure has mounted on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute three former Abia State governors following a lawsuit filed by a civil society group seeking to compel the anti-graft agency to act on long-standing corruption allegations.

The group, Support the Youth Organisation, has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, asking for an order of mandamus directing the EFCC to prosecute Orji Uzor Kalu, Theodore Ahamefule Orji, and Okezie Ikpeazu over the alleged mismanagement and diversion of public funds running into about ₦1 trillion.

According to court documents, the organisation argued that the EFCC investigations into the former governors’ administrations had been concluded but that no decisive prosecution had followed. The applicants insisted that the commission has a statutory obligation to prosecute cases of corruption once investigations are completed, warning that failure to do so fuels public distrust and allegations of selective justice.

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The suit is coming amid renewed calls for accountability as Nigeria’s anti-corruption war gathers momentum. In recent years, the EFCC has arraigned and prosecuted several former governors and senior public officials on charges ranging from money laundering to abuse of office and diversion of public funds.

One of the former governors named in the suit, Orji Uzor Kalu, was previously convicted over fraud linked to his time in office, although aspects of the case were later revisited on procedural grounds. Theodore Orji has also faced multiple charges by the EFCC, including allegations of large-scale diversion of state resources, while Okezie Ikpeazu has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Legal analysts say the outcome of the case could shape how Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies are compelled to act on completed investigations, particularly involving politically exposed persons.

As the court prepares to hear the matter, civil society groups and anti-corruption advocates say the case will test the independence of the EFCC and the government’s commitment to ensuring that no individual is above the law.

Court Asked to Force EFCC to Prosecute Three Former Abia Governors