MAKURDI – Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has suspended the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Fidelis Mnyim, over his involvement in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Nigeria’s key anti-corruption agencies—the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Mnyim joined 19 other states in filing a legal challenge questioning the legality of the laws that established the EFCC, specifically the EFCC Establishment Act of 2004. The plaintiffs argue that the law did not comply with Section 12 of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates proper legislative processes for domesticating international conventions like the UN Convention against Corruption.
The lawsuit, heard by the Supreme Court, involves states such as Kogi, Katsina, Sokoto, Enugu, Oyo, and Benue, among others. Notably, some states, including Imo and Bauchi, have joined as co-plaintiffs, while Anambra, Ebonyi, and Adamawa have withdrawn from the case. Additionally, Osun State has filed for the consolidation of the suit.
While the Supreme Court has yet to deliver its judgment, the suspension of Mnyim by Governor Alia signifies a potential disapproval of his participation in the case, which seeks to challenge the constitutionality of the federal anti-corruption bodies.
The court’s ruling date remains pending, and its outcome could have significant implications for Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework.
