Court Imposes N5 Million Fine on EFCC for Social Media Posting of Suspect’s Picture

The Federal High Court in Abuja has recently ruled in favor of a young photographer, Nasiru Saidu Ali (Kozzo), who was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and had his image shared on social media platforms without a court conviction.

Renowned legal practitioner Pelumi Olajengbesi highlighted the unlawfulness of the EFCC’s actions in publicizing images of individuals arrested for alleged crimes without due process, emphasizing the violation of the presumption of innocence.

Following legal proceedings, Honorable Justice Okoro of Court 6 of the Federal High Court, Abuja, declared EFCC’s actions unconstitutional and awarded ₦5 million in damages against the organization, including exemplary, punitive, and general damages, as well as a requirement for a public apology to be issued to the young photographer.