On Tuesday, October 15, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi, Abuja, issued a temporary order preventing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting or detaining former Defence Minister Mr. Lawal Batagarawa.
This decision comes amid a dispute over a piece of land.
The court also instructed the EFCC and its agents not to invite, harass, or threaten Batagarawa while the case is ongoing. This order was made after Batagarawa reported feeling harassed by the EFCC.
Justice Halilu stated that legal documents should be served to the EFCC and others involved in the case. He said, “An Order of Interim Injunction restraining the 1st Respondent, its privies, officers… from further inviting, harassing, embarrassing, humiliating, arresting or detaining… the Applicant in connection with the Plot of land allocated in the name of LAMDA BETA INVESTMENT LTD.”
The judge set the next hearing for October 31, 2024, to discuss further actions regarding Batagarawa’s rights.
In an affidavit dated September 20, 2024, Batagarawa described several incidents of harassment, including being detained by the EFCC on August 19 and 20, 2024. He alleged that he received repeated summons and harassing phone calls from EFCC agents.
According to Batagarawa, the EFCC’s actions were based on false claims made by Patrick Ineke and his legal team, who alleged ownership of the disputed land. Batagarawa countered that the land was allocated to his company, Lamda Beta Investment Limited, by the Federal Capital Development Authority in 2001 and provided proof of payments totaling N3,050,683.33 for the land rights.
