A man, Adekunle, has dragged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before a court, challenging the legal basis for its decision to publicly declare him wanted over a case in which he says he was not directly accused of any financial crime.
Adekunle, in an affidavit dated August 24, 2026, alleged that the commission published his name and details as a wanted person on its official website and social media platforms on August 19 without first obtaining a court order or leave to do so.
He is asking the court to compel the EFCC to delete the publication from all its online platforms and stop further circulation of his name as a wanted person.
The claimant is also seeking an order restraining the commission from taking steps that could allegedly violate his rights to personal liberty, privacy and family life, freedom of movement and protection from inhuman or degrading treatment.
In addition, Adekunle wants the EFCC to publicly apologise to him and pay N5 million in general damages.
His case, according to the affidavit, arose from the activities of his alleged business partner, Mrs Victoria Chidinma Nwachukwu, who he said was being investigated by the EFCC over allegations bordering on money laundering and obtaining money under false pretences.
Adekunle claimed that Nwachukwu incorporated Oasis Vivacity Global Limited using his residential address as the company’s office address and allegedly made him a director and signatory to its bank account without his knowledge.
He said the situation became problematic after Nwachukwu allegedly incurred a debt to a customer and subsequently became unreachable to investigators.
Rather than locate Nwachukwu, Adekunle alleged, the EFCC turned its attention to him, subjecting him to what he described as intimidation and harassment in an apparent effort to arrest and detain him in connection with the matter.
He maintained that there was no complaint or prima facie evidence establishing his involvement in money laundering or obtaining money under false pretences, apart from the alleged claim that he acted as an agent.
The claimant further alleged that threats of arrest extended to his family, leaving members of his immediate household apprehensive over what might happen if the EFCC failed to locate Nwachukwu.
At the centre of the suit is Adekunle’s contention that the EFCC lacked the legal authority to place him on a public wanted list without prior judicial authorisation.
He argued that such a declaration constitutes a legal measure that must be backed by proper judicial process, particularly where no warrant of arrest had been issued against him and he had not escaped from lawful custody.
The court has yet to fix a date for hearing of the suit.
