A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has granted an interim order, restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from arresting or harassing a Dubai-based Nigerian businessman, Rabiu Auwalu-Tijjani.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that the EFCC had declared Mr Tijjani, an indigene of Kano state, wanted over $1,931,700.12 money laundering allegations.
The declaration was disclosed in a notice signed by Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s spokesman on July 11.
Mr Oyewale had said the suspect was alleged to have committed conspiracy and obtained money under false pretences, in contravention of relevant laws.
In a swift reaction, Mr Tijjani refuted the EFCC’s claim and threatened to take legal action against the anti-graft agency.
Saddened by the EFCC’s public declaration to arrest him, the international gold merchant filed an ex parte motion, through his counsel, Muhammad Zakariyya-Dikko, Esq. on July 16 to restrain the anti-graft agency from arresting him.
The two respondents are EFCC and Mr. Ifeanyi Ezeokoli.
The order, granted on Monday by Justice H. Buhari, was in response to an ex parte motion seeking protection of Mr Tijjani’s fundamental rights to liberty and freedom of movement as enshrined in Sections 35 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution.
Justice Buhari, having reviewed the application, granted an interim order restraining the EFCC from inviting, arresting, detaining, harassing, or prosecuting Mr Tijjani, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion.
The matter was adjourned to September 18 for hearing.
Background of the case
According to a sworn affidavit filed by Mr Tijjani’s legal representative, the crisis began after the EFCC had published Mr Tijjani’s name and photograph on its official website on July 11, 2025, declaring him wanted for alleged conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, and money laundering to the tune of $1,931,700.
Mr Tijjani, a renowned international gold merchant and the first Nigerian to be licensed to establish a gold refinery in Nigeria, denied all allegations, describing the EFCC’s move as malicious and damaging to his reputation and business interests, especially his refinery project in Abuja.
The affidavit revealed that Mr Tijjani had entered into a business transaction with one Ifeanyi Ezeokoli in January 2022, involving the exchange of $76 million in Dubai for the naira equivalent in Nigeria.
Following the transaction, Mr Tijjani said he refunded an overpayment of ₦26 million to Mr Ezeokoli after reconciling figures.
However, he later discovered that he himself had overpaid Mr Ezeokoli by over $2 million due to double entries.
The embattled businessman initially reported the matter to the State Security Services, SSS, after several attempts to ensure reconciliation of accounts with Ifeanyi failed.
Upon this, both parties agreed to an independent audit, which allegedly revealed fictitious addresses for the companies linked to the overpaid funds.
The audit reportedly took six months due to the volume of documents involved.
The affidavit said Mr Ezeokoli became uncooperative during the investigation and instead filed a petition at the EFCC Kaduna Zonal Office, which Mr Tijjani alleges was done to cover up fraudulent dealings and to escape SSS scrutiny.
Despite submitting documents to EFCC Kaduna through a representative and not receiving any further invitation or query, Mr Tijjani was shocked to find himself declared wanted by the anti-graft agency.
He argued that he was never invited in writing, nor was he contacted by the EFCC before the public notice, which he said violated his fundamental rights.
He further claimed that the viral EFCC publication caused widespread embarrassment, with family, friends, and global business associates questioning his integrity, and his foreign investors reconsidering their involvement in the refinery project.