The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) views with grave concern the misrepresentation of the reaction of its counsel, Larry Peters Aso, to the judgment delivered by Justice Suleiman Belgore of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by legal practitioner Dr Ted Iseghoi-Edwards.
The judge reportedly cleared Iseghoi-Edwards of alleged fraud relating to services rendered to the nation’s 774 local government councils. He also disagreed with the EFCC’s position regarding its investigation report on the London-Paris Club refunds.
Reacting to the judgment, Aso thanked the judge for his industry in attending to the matter and stated that the EFCC would apply for a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment “and study it to know the necessary steps to take.”
He did not make any statement about an EFCC report from 2024 concerning allegations that Iseghoi-Edwards “fraudulently obtained the judgments, because he instituted proceedings against the Federal Government in the United States.”
Additionally, claims that Aso said the report was prepared under pressure from higher authorities “after Iseghoi-Edwards assigned his promissory notes to third parties in the United States, where they threatened to sue the Federal Government” are entirely mischievous and amount to deliberate character assassination.
This framing was intended to insinuate that extraneous influences affected the matter, which was not the case.
The record of proceedings from Tuesday, October 20, 2026, when the judgment was delivered, can be accessed to verify Aso’s reaction.
The Commission urges the media to be more objective in reporting court proceedings in the interest of justice.
