Ohha Microfinance Bank Limited has filed a landmark suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the High Court of Enugu State, demanding the release of a four-bedroom bungalow in Centenary City, Enugu, and claiming N1 billion in damages for alleged obstruction of justice.
The suit, OHHA MICROFINANCE BANK LIMITED V. EFCC (Suit No: E/177/2026), was filed by Olu Omotayo Esq., alongside Hammed Wasiu Adeyemi Esq. and Desmond Kakaan Esq., asserting that the EFCC blocked the bank from enforcing a judgment in its favor.
“The EFCC cannot, under the guise of a fresh investigation in 2025, vary or alter a High Court judgment that was affirmed by the Court of Appeal in 2023,” Omotayo said in the affidavit supporting the suit.
The Missing Property Controversy
The dispute dates back to 2nd November 2021, when a court convicted Oliver Anidiobi and ordered that the properties acquired with proceeds of crime, including the Centenary City bungalow, be sold and the proceeds remitted to Ohha Microfinance Bank.
However, EFCC officials allegedly refused to disclose the property to the bank, later claiming it was “missing.” A pre-action notice served to the commission on 28th January 2025 led to a meeting on 25th February 2025, during which a friend of Anidiobi claimed ownership of the land and said he had sold it to a third party after the convict went to jail.
“The EFCC accepted this narrative and concluded that the convict was no longer the owner, effectively blocking the bank from enforcing its rightful claim,” Omotayo stated.
Legal Questions and Reliefs Sought
The bank is seeking clarification from the court on two crucial questions: whether the EFCC has the legal right to conduct a new investigation and release property ordered by the court to a third party.
Upon determination, the bank seeks:
- A declaration affirming that the 2021 judgment in FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA VS. ANIDIOBI OLIVER CHUKWUKA (Charge No: E/162C/2019), affirmed by the Court of Appeal, cannot be tampered with.
- A declaration that the 2025 EFCC investigation favoring the convict and the third party is illegal, unconstitutional, null, and void.
- An order directing EFCC to sell the four-bedroom bungalow and remit proceeds to Ohha Microfinance Bank.
- N1 billion in general damages for obstruction of justice and perversion of the course of law.
“The EFCC’s actions constitute a subversion of the rule of law and block the Plaintiff from reaping the fruits of a judgment secured in its favor,” Omotayo said.
The case, now before the High Court of Enugu, is being closely watched by legal observers as a test of enforcement of court judgments against government agencies and the protection of victims’ rights in restitution cases.
“We are seeking justice not only for our client but to reinforce the principle that court judgments must be respected, irrespective of subsequent claims or investigations by third parties,” Omotayo added.
The court has yet to schedule the first hearing.
