A lagos based Lawyer has dragged the EFCC to court Seeking to Restrain the Agency from Compelling him and other Visitors from Surrendering their Phones before Gaining Access to it’s Premises.

Newspaper reported that Chukwudi Nneke Esq. gave the agency a 14 days ultimatum to stop ordering people to surrender their phones before gaining access to it’s premises or he would seek redress in court. At the expiration of the 14 days, Mr. Nneke has approached the court.

In a suit with no. FHC/L/CS/870/2024 between Chukwudi Nneke Esq. v. EFCC filed at the Federal High Court Registry, Ikoyi on the 21st day of May, 2024 wherein Mr. Nneke prayed the court to declare that the agency lacks statutory power to compel visitors to submit their phones before gaining access to their premises. In addition, he further prayed the court to restrain the agency from compelling visitors to submit their phones before gaining access into the agency’s premises. Among other prayers, the Plaintiff has also prayed the court to award damages against the Defendant for all the business opportunities he lost while in the premises of the Defendant for denying him access to his phones.

The Plaintiff stated that submitting his phones while in the premises of the Defendant has made him lose business opportunities. He cited two instances where he missed two briefs because his clients could not reach him in emergency cases. Consequent upon his inability to be reached, another Lawyers were engaged to take up the briefs. The unlawful practice according to the Plaintiff has continued to expose him to untold hardship and until the court intervenes, he will continue to suffer losses.

The Plaintiff also stated that there are two extreme cases where his family members were unable to reach out to him in two emergency cases that needed his attention.

The Plaintiff in summary, sought the intervention of the court to save him from further financial loses by directing the Defendant to stop compelling visitors to surrender their phones before gaining access to the agency’s premises.