The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday struck out two separate suits filed by former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, seeking to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from investigating him.
Justice Mohammed Umar struck out the cases after noting a notice of discontinuance in the court file and observing that no lawyer appeared for any of the parties at the resumed hearing.
Saraki had filed the suits in May 2019 to challenge the EFCC’s decision to probe his earnings between 2003 and 2011, when he was governor of Kwara State. At the time, the anti-graft agency reportedly seized some of his properties in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The cases, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/507/2019 and FHC/ABJ/CS/508/2019, initially came before retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who granted an interim order halting investigations. The matters were later reassigned to Justices Anwuli Chikere (rtd.) and Inyang Ekwo, with Justice Ekwo eventually striking them out in January 2023 for lack of diligent prosecution.
Saraki, however, succeeded in having the suits relisted and amended in October 2024, before they were transferred to Justice Umar. With Tuesday’s ruling, the cases have now been struck out, clearing the way for the EFCC to proceed with its investigations.
