EFCC appeals N10m defamation judgment in Agunloye suit‎‎

By Imisioluwa Afunmiso

‎The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has appealed the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, which awarded N10 million damages to former Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye, over a defamatory publication linked to the alleged 6 billion dollars Mambilla Power Project fraud.
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‎The Commission, through its counsel, Wahab Shittu, SAN, filed a Notice of Appeal before the Court of Appeal, Abuja, on Friday, challenging the entire judgment delivered by Justice Peter Kekemeke on July 8, 2026.
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‎The appeal, filed in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1199/2024, stated that the EFCC was dissatisfied with the whole judgment of the FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
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‎The anti-graft agency predicated its appeal on 11 grounds and is seeking four reliefs from the appellate court.
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‎Among the reliefs sought are an order allowing the appeal, setting aside the entire judgment of the lower court, dismissing Agunloye’s claims in their entirety, and granting any further order the Court of Appeal may deem appropriate in the circumstances.
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‎Justice Kekemeke had held that the EFCC’s publication on its social media platform concerning Agunloye was false, defamatory and injurious to the former minister’s reputation.
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‎The court consequently awarded Agunloye N10 million as damages against the Commission.
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‎In addition to the appeal, the EFCC, through its counsel, also filed an application seeking a stay of execution of the judgment pending the determination of the appeal. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the appeal.