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The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a N10 billion fundamental rights suit filed by Abuja-based businesswoman Aisha Achimugu against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the search of her residence and seizure of personal belongings.
The EFCC disclosed the development in a social media statement on Monday, October 12, saying Justice M.S. Liman dismissed the suit for lack of merit.
Achimugu had approached the court to challenge the commission’s search of her home and the seizure of her cars, jewellery and other properties.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/466/2026, asked the court to determine whether the EFCC acted within its statutory powers and violated her right to privacy.
She also sought an order restraining the commission from allegedly threatening, harassing or invading her residence, alongside N10 billion in damages over what she described as an invasion of her privacy.
However, delivering judgment, Justice Liman held that the EFCC had the authority to search the property after receiving intelligence concerning the businesswoman’s alleged criminal activities.
“EFCC has the right to search the residence,” the judge said, according to the commission’s statement.
The court also rejected Achimugu’s claim for N10 billion in damages, ruling that she and her lawyers had not established sufficient grounds to justify the amount demanded.
According to the EFCC, the judge found no basis for preventing the agency from performing its statutory duties.
The court subsequently dismissed the suit, describing it as “frivolous and it was brought in bad faith”, the commission said.
Reacting to the ruling, EFCC counsel Emenike Mgbemele welcomed the judgment, describing it as being in the interest of justice.
Mgbemele also argued that the suit had been an attempt to waste the court’s time.
