Court stops EFCC probe of Oyo finances, says investigation speculative

By Adeola Badru

IBADAN — A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from proceeding with its proposed investigation into the finances of the Oyo State Government, describing the exercise as speculative and a fishing expedition.

In a judgment delivered on Wednesday in suit FHC/IB/CS/61/2025, Justice Nkeonye Maha held that although the EFCC has statutory powers to investigate financial crimes and related offences, such powers must be exercised within the limits of the Constitution and the rule of law.

The court ruled that the Commission’s planned investigation into the state’s finances, particularly the demands contained in its letter dated June 2, 2025, lacked specific allegations and could not be sustained under the law.

Justice Maha held that “the EFCC’s proposed investigation into Oyo State’s finances, particularly the demands contained in its letter of June 2, 2025, was speculative and amounted to a fishing expedition.”