Kaduna High Court Bars EFCC from Acting Against Gold Merchant Tijjani in ₦1.5 Billion Suit over ‘Reckless’ Wanted Notice
A Federal High Court in Kaduna has granted an interim injunction preventing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from taking any coercive steps against gold merchant Alhaji Rabiu Auwalu Tijjani. The order bars the agency from inviting, arresting, detaining, or harassing him while his challenge is pending.
Justice H. Buhari, who delivered the ruling, set September 18, 2025, as the date for the substantive hearing. Until then, the EFCC and its officers must refrain from any action that could infringe on Tijjani’s liberty.
Tijjani, a Nigerian businessman based in Dubai and CEO of Special Jewelry Limited, initiated a N1.5 billion suit for enforcement of his fundamental rights. He lodged the case after accusing the EFCC of unlawfully branding him “wanted” on its website without any formal invitation or due legal process.
Filed under suit number FHC/KD/CS/88/2025, the action seeks declarations that the EFCC’s publication was illegal and violated his constitutional rights to liberty, dignity, and fair hearing. He also demands the removal of his name and photograph from the agency’s platforms.
Court documents reveal the root of the dispute lies in a commercial disagreement with one Ifeanyi Ezeokoli, which was already under review by the Department of State Services. Both parties had agreed to an independent audit to resolve questions over their transaction.
Tijjani’s filings state that, despite the DSS’s ongoing inquiry, Ezeokoli approached the EFCC. The anti-graft agency then contacted Tijjani in Dubai via WhatsApp and asked him to designate a local representative to submit documentation.
After complying with those requests, Tijjani alleges that the EFCC went ahead and listed him as “wanted” without issuing any formal summons or concluding its inquiry. He characterizes the move as reckless and injurious to his reputation.
Through his lead counsel, Senior Advocate Edwin Anikwem, Tijjani is seeking a formal declaration of illegality, an order to take down the EFCC’s publication, and a public apology in five national newspapers and ten online outlets. He is also claiming N1 billion in exemplary damages and N500 million in general damages.
Muhammad Zakariyya Dikko, who deposed to a 34-paragraph affidavit on Tijjani’s behalf, stressed that his client holds no criminal record and was thoroughly vetted before obtaining a licence to build Nigeria’s first gold refinery in Abuja.
The affidavit further accuses the EFCC officials involved of bias, professional misconduct, and a blatant disregard for constitutional safeguards. With the interim order signed on July 21, 2025, any immediate EFCC action is blocked until next month’s hearing, highlighting growing concerns about procedural lapses by the agency and their potential impact on Nigeria’s investment climate.
