The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has urged the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice, Adamu Abdul-Kafarati, to transfer all the lawsuits challenging his appointment as the EFCC helmsman from Justice Binta Nyako.
The lawsuits are 11 in number and they have all been consolidated before Justice Nyako.
However, Magu, in a letter dated July 31, by his lawyer, Mr Wahab Shittu, said he would love the cases taken away from Justice Nyako for fear of conflict of interest.
The EFCC acting Chairman said he was uncomfortable with Justice Nyako handling his cases at a time when the anti-graft agency was prosecuting the husband and stepson of the judge – Admiral Murtala Nyako (retd.) and Senator Abdulaziz Nyako, respectively.
Murtala Nyako is a former governor of Adamawa State while Abdulaziz is his son.
Shittu pointed the CJ’s attention to Magu’s letter of July 30, saying the application for the transfer of his cases had become necessary “to avoid bias and conflict of interest because the commission is prosecuting the spouse and stepson of His Lordship, namely: Admiral Murtala Nyako (retd.) and Senator Abdulaziz Nyako, respectively.”
Shittu listed the 11 cases centring on Magu’s appointment, which he sought to be transferred to another judge, as: FHC/YL/CS/14/2017 filed by one Bello Bakari, a lawyer, against the Attorney General of the Federation; FHC/KN/CS/59/17, filed by one Abubakar Sanni against the Senate; FHC/ABJ/CS/278/2017, filed by Jibrin Samuel Okutepa (SAN) against President Muhammadu Buhari and four others; FHC/ABJ/CS/374/17, filed by Incorporated Trustees of Justice Mission International against the AGF; FHC/ABJ/CS/378/17, filed by Alia Jamilu, a lawyer, against President Buhari and four others; and suit FHC/ABJ/CS/318/17, filed by Lady Chidimma Udeani against the President and others.
The other lawsuits are FHC/ABJ/CS/296/17, filed by Emmanuel Esero against Ibrahim Magu; FHC/ABJ/CS/802/17, filed by Wale Balogun against the President and four others; FHC/ABJ/CS/469/17, filed by Chijioke Kanu against the AGF; FHC/ABJ/CS/159/17, filed by Johnmary Jideobi against the Senate and three others.
