18 Years After, EFCC Gets Supreme Court’s Nod to Probe Odili’s Tenure in Rivers

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the tenure of Dr. Peter Odili, former governor of Rivers State, following the dismissal of appeals filed by the Attorney General of Rivers State and the Speaker of the State’s House of Assembly. These appeals had sought to overturn the leave granted to the EFCC by the Court of Appeal to challenge a 2007 order from the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, which had barred the anti-graft agency from probing Odili’s administration.

Odili served as governor of Rivers State from 1999 to 2007.

The ruling by the Supreme Court, delivered by a five-member panel led by Justice John Okoro, dismissed the appeals, thereby removing the legal obstacle preventing the EFCC from investigating the finances of Rivers State during Odili’s eight-year rule. The decision brought an end to a lengthy legal battle that has been ongoing for nearly two decades.

The legal issue began in 2007 when Odili obtained a perpetual injunction from the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt. The injunction prohibited the EFCC from investigating or prosecuting him and barred the agency from scrutinizing the financial activities of the Rivers State Government under his administration. The EFCC had contested this order since 2008, but the injunction effectively shielded Odili from investigation.

In 2018, the Court of Appeal granted the EFCC leave to appeal the Federal High Court’s decision, prompting the Attorney General of Rivers State and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly to file separate appeals at the Supreme Court. These appeals sought to overturn the appellate court’s decision.

On March 10, 2025, the Supreme Court heard the case, marked SC/CV/318/2018. During the proceedings, Justice Okoro questioned the substance of the case, noting that the appeal was interlocutory in nature. The appellants’ lawyer, S. A. Somiari, SAN, argued that the appeal challenged the leave granted to the EFCC by the Court of Appeal. However, Justice Okoro intervened, stating that the appeal was not within the scope of the Supreme Court and advised the parties to return to the Court of Appeal for the substantive appeal.

In recognition of the court’s position, Somiari applied to withdraw the appeal. The EFCC’s legal team, led by Abubakar Mahmud, SAN, and Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, did not oppose the withdrawal, and the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal.

A similar appeal, SC/CV/447/2018, filed by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, was also dismissed on the same grounds.