The Office of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has firmly dismissed claims that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was not served with a subsisting court order, insisting that due process was followed and that the anti-graft agency is fully aware of the directive.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, Malami’s media office said the EFCC and its legal representatives were “properly served with the Order of the Honourable Court,” describing any suggestion to the contrary as misleading and legally untenable.
According to the statement, court records show that service was initiated promptly, barely a day after the order was issued. The court bailiff, Mr. Abiodun Kolawole, reportedly went to the EFCC to effect service but met resistance.
“A day after the Order was issued, the Court Bailiff, Mr. Abiodun Kolawole, attempted service on the EFCC, which refused to receive the Order,” the statement said.
The media office stressed that refusal to accept a court process does not invalidate service nor undermine the authority of the court.
“This refusal does not negate service nor diminish the authority of the Court,” the statement added.
In what appears to be a decisive clarification, Malami’s office disclosed that the EFCC’s legal representatives later received the same order, effectively putting the agency on notice.
“Later that same evening, the Office of Okutepa, SAN, received the Court Order, conclusively establishing notice and awareness on behalf of the EFCC,” the statement noted.