The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced that it can now proceed with an investigation into Peter Odili’s eight-year tenure as governor of Rivers State, following a ruling by the Supreme Court on Monday.
Odili served as governor from 1999 to 2007.
In 2007, attempts to scrutinise his administration led Odili to secure a perpetual injunction from the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, which prohibited the EFCC from investigating, arresting, or prosecuting him. The court also barred the agency from examining the finances of the Rivers State Government during his time in office.
Although the EFCC has contested this injunction since 2008, it has successfully shielded Odili from scrutiny for nearly two decades.
However, in 2018, the Court of Appeal granted the EFCC permission to appeal the Federal High Court’s decision. This prompted the Attorney General of Rivers State and the Speaker of the State Assembly to file separate appeals with the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the appellate court’s ruling.
On March 10, 2025, the Supreme Court convened to hear the appeal filed by the litigants, marked SC/CV/318/2018.
During the proceedings, Justice Okoro questioned the basis of the case, noting its interlocutory nature. The litigants’ lawyer, S. A. Somiari, SAN, argued that the appeal was aimed at challenging the leave granted by the Court of Appeal for the EFCC to contest the 2007 injunction.
Justice Okoro interjected, stating, “This is not the type of appeal we hear here,” and advised the parties to return to the Court of Appeal to have the substantive appeal considered before approaching the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court subsequently dismissed the appeals filed by the Attorney General of Rivers State and the Speaker of the State Assembly, affirming the leave granted to the EFCC by the Court of Appeal to challenge the Federal High Court’s injunction that barred the Commission from investigating Dr. Peter Odili’s governorship.
“The dismissal by a five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice John Okoro, effectively paved the way for the Commission to investigate Dr. Odili’s eight years in charge of the oil-rich state, bringing an end to the EFCC’s long-standing legal struggle to probe his administration,” the anti-graft agency stated.
Acknowledging the court’s ruling, Somiari applied to withdraw the appeal, which the EFCC’s legal team, led by Abubakar Mahmud, SAN, along with Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, and B. O. Obialo, did not oppose.
Justice Okoro dismissed the appeal, stating, “The appeal is dismissed, having been withdrawn without any objection.”
A similar appeal, marked SC/CV/447/2018, filed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, was also dismissed on the same grounds.
