Fani-Kayode sues EFCC, wants court to order his release from detention

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has filed a suit before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, seeking the enforcement of his fundamental rights.

Mr. Fani-Kayode made the application in response to his continued detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, after he was invited for questioning on May 9.

Counsel to Mr. Kayode, Ifedayo Adedipe, prayed the court to compel the EFCC to either release his client, or charge him to court, saying Mr. Fani-Kayode’s continued detention was against the law.

Responding, counsel the EFCC, Salisu Maji-Dadi, said the commission had not acted outside the provisions of the law in its detention of Mr. Fani-Kayode.

Mr. Maji-Dadi said that prior to Mr. Fani-Kayode’s detention on May 10, the EFCC had obtained a court order to detain him.

Mr. Maji-Dadi said before that court order expired on May 24, the EFCC again obtained another court order from a Magistrate Court in Lagos to further detain Mr. Kayode till June 15.

Mr. Maji-Dadi therefore submitted that the detention of the applicant was not against the law.

The case was adjourned till June 29.

Mr. Fani-Kayode was invited to the office of the commission over the alleged payment of N840 million into his account on the eve of the 2015 general elections.

Investigators said they suspected the fund was part of the $2.1billion allegedly misappropriated by a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Mr. Fani-Kayode, who served as spokesman for the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign in 2015, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, saying “the allegations are baseless, wicked, shameful and irresponsible”.