A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has awarded N15 million in damages to the Koko-Ama community in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, in a suit filed against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
The judgment follows a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by the community, which had demanded N100 billion in compensation over the alleged unlawful invasion and seizure of their waterfront during an EFCC operation in 2023. The operation was reportedly targeted at individuals suspected of engaging in illegal oil bunkering.
In the suit, the Koko-Ama community argued that the actions of the EFCC amounted to a violation of their fundamental rights, citing the scale and manner of the operation as unjustified.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Rita Oguguo held that the EFCC acted without legal justification by invading the entire community while pursuing specific individuals.
She ruled in favour of the applicants, awarding N15 million in damages and ordering the EFCC to immediately withdraw all police personnel stationed at the community’s waterfront within 24 hours. The court further warned against any future invasions under the pretext of targeting individuals.
Speaking with journalists after the court session, counsel to the Koko-Ama community, Chime Sunday, expressed dissatisfaction with the amount awarded, noting that the legal team would review the judgment and determine the next steps.
“The community would review the judgment and decide on the next course of action,” Sunday stated.
