The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has challenged a lower court verdict that awarded N10 million damages against it for defaming former Power Minister, Olu Agunloye.
Conveying this in a statement on Sunday by EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, the Commission said it filed the Notice of Appeal on Friday, July 10, 2026 at the Court of Appeal, Abuja.
The appeal is against the judgment delivered on July 8, 2026 by Justice Peter Kekemeke of the FCT High Court, Maitama.
The court had found the EFCC liable for a social media publication linking Agunloye to an alleged $6 billion fraud in the Mambilla Power Project.
According to Oyewale, EFCC’s counsel, Wahab Shittu, SAN, filed the appeal in Suit No: FCT/HC/CV/1199/2024.
The Commission is praying the Appeal Court for four reliefs: to allow the appeal, set aside the entire judgment, dismiss Agunloye’s claim in full, and grant any other order the court deems fit.
The appeal is based on 11 grounds.
The orders the Commission is seeking in the appeal, are orders allowing the appeal, setting aside the whole of the judgment, dismissing Agunloye’s claim before the trial court in entirety and any other order the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of the appeal.
Justice Peter Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Abuja had declared in his judgment that the EFCC’s publication on Agunloye was false, defamatory and injurious to the former Minister’s reputation and awarded N10 million in damages against the Commission.
In the appeal, Shittu filed a stay of execution of the judgment of the trial court.