EFCC To Pay N10m As Damages To Former PDP Ag-Nat Chairman Over Illegal Detention

FEDERAL High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to pay the sum of N10 million as damages to former acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Uche Secondus over his detention by the Commission which it declared as a breach of the applicant’s fundamental human rights and therefore illegal.

Secondus had approached the court contending that his arrest and detention by the EFCC was a breach of his fundamental human rights enshrined in the constitution and consequently demanded the court to declare the actions taken by the anti-graft body as unconstitutional and illegal. In his second prayers, the ex-acting PDP boss sought the court to award a sum of N10 million to him against the Commission as damages.

Ruling on a motion before the court, Justice Tsho aligned with the contention of the applicant stating that the EFCC had evidently infringed on the rights of the applicant as alleged and thereby granted the prayers on the equitable remedies.

It will be recalled that Secondus was arrested and detained by EFCC over alleged corrupt practices relating to looting of public funds.