N3bn loot: Court strikes out Yakubu’s N1bn suit against EFCC

The Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, struck out the N1 billion suit that former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, who allegedly stashed over N3 billion at his guest house in Kaduna, filed Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Andrew Yakubu, ex-NNPC GMD: says loot was a gift by ‘unknown persons’.

Justice A. R. Mohammed struck out the suit after it was withdrawn by the plaintiff who is already facing six-count money laundering charge the anti-graft agency preferred against him. Yakubu, who was Group Managing Director of the NNPC between 2012 and 2014, had dragged the EFCC to court, demanding public apology and N1 billion as damages over his detention by the agency.

He wanted the court to order the EFCC and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, who are respondents in the suit, to tender public apology to him in two widely published national newspapers for the violation of his rights. Meanwhile, at the resumed sitting on the matter, the plaintiff, through his lawyer, Mr. Adeola Adedipe, told the court that he was no longer willing to pursue the case to its logical conclusion. Adebipe said his client had earlier filed notice of discontinuance in respect of the matter, noting that the case has been overtaken by events considering that Yakubu had been arraigned and released on bail.

Consequently, Justice Mohammed struck out the suit. It will be recalled that EFCC operatives raided his house following a tip-off by a whistleblower. The agency disclosed that it had in the course of the operation, discovered the sum of $9.7m and £74,000 that Yakubu hid in a fireproof safe inside the house. Kano Division of the high court earlier granted an order of forfeiture of the recovered money to the Federal Government. 

Vanguard