Benue State withdraws from suit seeking to declare EFCC illegal

The Benue State government has formally applied to withdraw from the suit that is asking the Supreme Court to declare the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as an illegal organization.

Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia had on Wednesday, directed the Attorney General of the State and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Fidelis Bemsen Mnyim, to proceed on indefinite suspension for unilaterally joining Benue State as a plaintiff in the suit which was originally brought before the apex court by Kogi state.

Rev. Fr. Alia, who was irked by the development, noted that both the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, which may be affected by the suit, are anti-graft agencies that are currently helping the state to recover funds that were stolen from its treasury.

“No appointee is permitted to act unilaterally. No matter how pressing or urgent the issue is, one must resort to due consultations with me or appropriately brief me and seek my permission before acting, especially in a sensitive matter such as this.

“My administration is holding accountable those who embezzled money and drained our state dry. The EFCC and ICPC are assisting us in this effort.

“How can I now turn around and begin to challenge these watchdogs? I gave no permission for him to enter an appearance for the state. Because he acted on his own, I hereby suspend him indefinitely pending a satisfactory explanation of his actions,” the governor added in a statement that was signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula.

Meanwhile,it was learned that the suspended AG had before his sanction came to light, quickly applied for Benue state to be removed from the list of 18 other states that were cited as plaintiffs in the matter.

His notice of discontinuance, dated October 23, read: “Take notice that the Attorney-General of Benue state who is the 8th plaintiff hereby discontinues this suit against the Attorney-General of the Federation, the defendant.”

It will be recalled that three other states-  Anambra, Adamawa and Ebonyi-  had when the suit came up before the Supreme Court on Wednesday for hearing, also announced their decisions to withdraw from the matter.