The Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by controversial social media personality Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, popularly known as Bobrisky, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The suit alleged a breach of his fundamental rights and sought damages amounting to ₦200 million.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Alexander Owoeye ruled that Bobrisky’s claims of rights violations lacked merit and that no credible evidence was provided to support his allegations.
Bobrisky had sought several reliefs, including an order of perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC and its agents from harassing, arresting, or detaining him.
He also requested the court to award ₦200 million as compensation for damages he claimed to have suffered due to his arrest and trial.
Justice Owoeye, in his judgment, stated, “Having evaluated the evidence placed before this Court by the Applicant, it is evident that the Applicant has failed to provide credible evidence to justify the award of the declaratory and injunctive reliefs sought by him.”
The judge further ruled, “In the final analysis, I hold that the claims of violation of fundamental rights against the 1st and 2nd Respondents were not made out of the affidavit evidence placed before this Court. The claim of the Applicant against the 1st to the 2nd Respondents hereby lacks merit and is liable to be dismissed. It is accordingly dismissed.”
The court also declined to award any damages against the EFCC.
Bobrisky initially filed the suit following his arrest on April 4, 2024, by the EFCC on allegations of Naira abuse, a charge that eventually led to his six-month conviction by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on April 12, 2024.
