A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, on Tuesday, barred the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from taking further actions against the former governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha. 

The court also ordered the EFCC to release Mr Rochas’s international passport, while condemning the lawlessness so far exhibited by the anti-graft agency. 

“I take exception to disobedience. Your organisation (EFCC) should not do anything to the applicant until this matter is determined,” the trial judge, Stephen Pam, said.

“What is the order, obey it. If you are not okay with the judgement go and appeal it. Don’t allow the drama that took place in my court in the matter between Peter Odili and Nigeria Immigration to take place here.”

Mr Okorocha’s lawyer, Ola Olanipekun, had approached the Federal High Court seeking to compel the anti-graft agency to obey court orders earlier barring the EFCC from taking actions against his client. 

Last week, Mr Okorocha had in a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari, urged the president to prevail on the EFCC to obey court orders relating to his case. 

“I used this opportunity to intimate the president on what is going on between me and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the harassment, the intimidation I’m getting from the EFCC literally on a daily basis,” Mr Okorocha had told reporters after visiting Mr Buhari. 

“And to inform him that I have court judgements which stops the EFCC from harrassing and intimidating me and all that. The EFCC has refused to obey the law.

“That’s why I have to inform Mr President that the EFCC should be meant to obey the law that establish them,” the former Imo state governor had added.