Court orders EFCC and Zenith Bank to pay ₦4 million

A Nigerian court has ordered the country's anti-corruption agency and a major bank to pay 4 million naira in compensation for unlawfully freezing a real estate company's bank account. The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory ruled on April 23, 2026, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission exceeded its legal authority by directing Zenith Bank to maintain the restriction without judicial approval.

Justice M. A. Hassan delivered the judgment in a suit filed by Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac and her company, Homadil Realty Limited. The court found that while the EFCC may impose an initial "post no debit" restriction on an account during a preliminary investigation, any extension beyond the legally permitted period requires a court order. Instead of seeking that authorization, the commission issued successive letters instructing the bank to continue the freeze.

Justice Hassan described the continued restriction as a blatant violation of the company's constitutional right to property. He emphasized that Nigeria operates under democratic principles and the rule of law, requiring all institutions to act within statutory boundaries. The court separately ordered the EFCC to...