The Lagos State Government has officially dismissed recent media reports suggesting that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has taken legal action against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over purported plans to detain and prosecute him after his governorship ends.
The PUNCH reported that this clarification was issued on Tuesday by SAN, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, following widespread media coverage hinting that the governor had filed a lawsuit against the EFCC.
Reports implied that Sanwo-Olu’s alleged lawsuit was filed in response to potential actions by the EFCC, including his possible arrest, detention, and prosecution once he leaves office.
According to earlier reports, a suit titled as a “fundamental rights enforcement action” was supposedly submitted before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja by a lawyer, Darlington Ozurumba, reportedly representing the governor.
During Tuesday’s court proceedings, Ozurumba revealed to the judge that an original filing had been withdrawn and replaced with revised documents.
He claimed that the updated court papers had been served to the EFCC; however, the EFCC’s representative, Hadiza Afegbua, stated she had not yet received them, and proof of service was absent from the court record.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently scheduled the case for further mention on November 11.
In response to the situation, Attorney General Pedro emphatically refuted the idea that Sanwo-Olu had pursued legal action or authorized any attorney to do so on his behalf.
Pedro emphasized that the state government is actively investigating how this case came to light without its awareness or approval.
He also underscored that there is no ongoing EFCC investigation against Governor Sanwo-Olu, nor has the EFCC ever issued any summons or arrest threats concerning the governor or his aides.
Pedro’s statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to the news circulating in a section of the media, titled, ‘Sanwo-Olu Sues EFCC over alleged plan to arrest, prosecute him after tenure’.
Pedro clarified further, saying, “We wish to clarify that Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at no time, sued or briefed any legal practitioner to file a suit on his behalf concerning the above subject matter.”
He highlighted that it would be improbable for the governor, who is protected by constitutional immunity and has nearly three years left in office, to engage any legal representation on such a matter at this time.
Pedro went on to assure the public of Sanwo-Olu’s good standing, stating, “To the best of my knowledge, my inquiry confirmed that the EFCC is not investigating the governor and has never invited him or threatened the arrest of any member of his staff, domestic or otherwise. We are currently investigating how the case came to be without our knowledge.”
He added that Sanwo-Olu remains wholly dedicated to serving Lagosians, focusing on projects aimed at elevating their quality of life and has no cause for concern upon concluding his term in office.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has demonstrated exemplary service delivery and prudent, judicious management of public resources,” Pedro noted.
He concluded, “Therefore, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who is tirelessly working to improve the living conditions of all Lagosians, has no cause for concern when he eventually leaves office at the end of his tenure in May 2027.”
Pedro urged the media to practice caution and ensure accuracy in their reporting, stating, “We, therefore, urge media organisations to be cautious about the reports they publish on their esteemed platforms to avoid misleading the public.”
