The Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has dismissed a N20 million fundamental rights enforcement suit filed against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) by Mrs. Christiana Dagogo-George, the Project Manager of Wiseworld Firm Consult Limited.

Justice U.P. Kekemeke, who presided over the case, ruled that Dagogo-George failed to establish that her right to personal liberty was breached by the ICPC during her arrest and detention between October 17 and 19, 2022.

In his judgment, Justice Kekemeke emphasized that lawful invitation by an anti-corruption agency for investigative purposes does not constitute a violation of fundamental rights. The court noted: "The documents attached to the Applicant's Written Address are a mere surplusage. They carry no legal weight before this Court and are hereby discountenanced. The applicant has not made out a case for the grant of the reliefs sought."

Details of the Case

Dagogo-George had approached the court claiming her arrest and detention by the ICPC infringed on her constitutional rights. The case stems from her involvement in multiple training contracts awarded by the Nigeria Police Trust Fund in June 2022.

According to the ICPC's investigation, Dagogo-George secured eight training contracts—each valued at over N36 million—through eight separate companies allegedly under her control. The anti-corruption agency discovered that although more than N100 million was paid for training sessions across eight locations, only three sessions were actually conducted. The remaining funds were allegedly diverted for personal use.

In its counter-affidavit, the ICPC maintained that Dagogo-George was granted bail on the same day she appeared for questioning. However, she reportedly breached the bail conditions and ignored subsequent invitations, which led to the revocation of her bail. She was later re-admitted to bail under new conditions in January 2023.

The Commission also presented documentary evidence showing that Dagogo-George had undertaken to refund N10 million of the unutilized funds connected to the scandal.

This case highlights the ongoing efforts by Nigeria's anti-corruption agencies to investigate and prosecute alleged misappropriation of public funds, particularly in government contracts. The court's ruling reinforces the legal authority of agencies like the ICPC to conduct investigations into suspected corrupt practices without necessarily infringing on fundamental rights.