Enugu State Withdraws From Governors’ Suit Against EFCC, NFIU

The Enugu State Government has officially withdrawn from the Supreme Court case involving 16 state governments challenging the authority of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). The lawsuit disputes the jurisdiction of these anti-corruption bodies over state governments, particularly when the states did not sanction their establishment.

On October 23, three states—Ebonyi, Anambra, and Adamawa—announced their withdrawal from the suit. Enugu followed suit shortly after, filing its withdrawal application on October 21. Although this application was not processed during the October 23 hearing due to timing issues, it was acknowledged by the Supreme Court on October 24.

Enugu State Attorney General, Kingsley Udeh, submitted the withdrawal notice titled, “NOTICE OF 6TH DEFENDANT’S (ATTORNEY GENERAL OF ENUGU STATE) WITHDRAWAL FROM THIS SUIT,” indicating Enugu’s intention to withdraw from the case. The application was co-signed by senior officials from the Enugu Ministry of Justice.

The case, originally filed by Kogi State in 2023 with 15 other states, including Enugu, has faced significant scrutiny from civil society organizations. Governor Peter Mbah’s Special Adviser on Mainstream Media, Dan Nwomeh, redirected all media inquiries to Attorney General Udeh, who declined to comment on the withdrawal.