A mechanical engineer, Jacob Acheneje, has filed a N100 million fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for unlawful detention.
Mr Acheneje, in a suit filed by his lawyer, Reuben Atabo, at the Federal High Court, also joined Patrick Ilo, the managing director of PetroCam Blending Plant, as the second respondent.
Mr Acheneje, in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/505/2026, which is dated and filed on March 11 by Mr Atabo, sought six reliefs.
He asked the court for a declaration that his arrest and detention at the instance of Mr Ilo, after the grant of bail by Justice Jordan Adeyemi of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta Division, in charge number FHC/AB/156C/2025, is unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional.
He said the act violated his right to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, a fair hearing and freedom of movement as prescribed in Sections 34, 35(1), 36 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Articles 4, 5, 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
He is asking the court to declare that the EFCC’s action in rearresting and detaining him over the same charge he is currently being tried for in charge number FHC/AB/156C/2025 before Mr Adeyemi “constitutes abuse of court process, violation of his human rights and is unconstitutional”.
Mr Acheneje, therefore, is seeking an order directing the EFCC to release him immediately pending his trial, including an order of injunction restraining the first and second respondents, their agents, privies and whosoever acting on their behalf from further arresting or harassing the applicant in respect of the same matter and an award of N100 million in favour of the applicant as general and exemplary damages against the respondents.
In the affidavit in support of the application deposed to by the applicant’s wife, Rhoda Acheneje, she averred that her husband, a mechanical engineer, is a former employee of Petrocam Blending Plant Ltd.
She said her husband was arrested on October 19, 2025, and detained at the Eleweran Police Station, Abeokuta, in Ogun and was subsequently charged and arraigned on December 4, 2025, in charge number FHC/ABJ/156C/2025 on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit money laundering, fraud and stealing.
Ms Acheneje said her husband was granted bail on December 24, 2025, pending trial.
“The trial judge adjourned the matter to the 16th day of February, 2026, for the prosecution to open her case against the applicant. That on the 16th day of February, 2026, when the matter came up for trial before Hon. Justice Jordan Abiodun Adeyemi, the prosecution did not file and serve proof of evidence on the defence counsel,” the petition said.
The case was adjourned until April 21.
She, however, alleged that shortly after the court session on February 16, the EFCC and its agents from the B.F.S. Unit, acting on Mr Ilo’s instructions, blocked the gate to the court premises in Abeokuta and proceeded to intimidate, harass, and arrest the applicant.
She alleged that her husband was subsequently kept in EFCC’s custody in Lagos for the same alleged offences for which he is currently standing trial before the Federal High Court, Abeokuta Division.
(NAN)
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