A Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a fundamental rights suit filed by Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, better known as Bobrisky, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Assembly.
Bobrisky had sought N200m in compensation for alleged “psychotic trauma” caused by the EFCC and N1 billion from the National Assembly for allegedly violating his right to a fair hearing. He also sought an injunction to prevent the EFCC and the National Assembly from “harassing, detaining, or declaring him wanted.”
The controversy surrounding Bobrisky escalated after social media influencer Martins Otse leaked an audio recording in which it was alleged that Bobrisky paid the EFCC N15 million to drop money laundering charges against him. Bobrisky denied the claims, calling the recording fake, and threatened legal action against Otse. Despite his denials, Bobrisky failed to appear when summoned by the EFCC.
On November 1, 2024, Bobrisky was removed from an Amsterdam-bound KLM flight at Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport by the EFCC.
In his ruling on November 28, 2024, Justice Alexander Owoeye stated that Bobrisky’s claims were without merit, lacking credible evidence. The judge concluded that the allegations of rights violations against the EFCC and the National Assembly were not substantiated by the evidence presented in the case.
The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, issued a statement confirming the court’s dismissal, noting that Bobrisky had failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify the legal actions he sought. Justice Owoeye also refused to award any damages against the EFCC.
