Wale Igbintade
The Lagos State High Court has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting or detaining executives of Honda Manufacturing (Nigeria) Limited, Honda Automobile West Africa Limited and greater than 200 people and companies in reference to an ongoing investigation by the anti-graft company.
The court docket additionally barred the fee from taking any step to deprive the candidates or their officers of their private liberty over the subject material of the investigation, pending the listening to and dedication of the substantive basic human rights go well with.
Justice Olukayode Ogunjobi made the order, whereas ruling on an ex parte utility filed by the 2 vehicle corporations, their executives, sellers, distributors and different enterprise associates towards the EFCC.
The go well with, marked LD/22659MFHR/2026, has an in depth listing of company and particular person candidates, together with two Japanese nationals, Tetsuya Kawai and Mita Daisuke, alongside Nigerian executives, bike sellers, vehicle companies and different industrial entities.
Other particular person candidates embody Olayemi Adebiyi, Olabade Badejo and Lanre Akinsola, whereas company candidates embody H3 Motors & Industries Limited, Movack Services Nigeria Limited, Tony Moore Nigeria Enterprises and Hardé Global Motorcycle Venture, amongst a number of others.
At the proceedings, Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, led the authorized crew representing the candidates, with Wale Rokosu.
The candidates approached the court docket via a basic human rights enforcement motion, in search of safety towards what they described as illegal interference with their private liberty, freedom of motion and privateness in the midst of the EFCC investigation.
Specifically, they sought interim orders restraining the fee, its officers, brokers, servants and representatives from arresting, detaining or in any other case depriving them or their officers of their private liberty in reference to the investigation.
They additionally sought to forestall the EFCC from compelling them or their officers to report back to its workplace for investigation, issuing additional invites to sure firm executives and different sellers or distributors for questioning, or threatening them with arrest.
The candidates additional sought safety towards the arrest or detention of the third to seventh candidates solely on the bottom of their failure or lack of ability to honour additional invites issued by the fee.
They additionally requested the court docket to restrain the EFCC from taking any motion that will limit their liberty with out complying with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and different relevant legal guidelines.
In his ruling, Justice Ogunjobi granted the primary prayer, expressly stating that it lined Prayers 2 to six.
Consequently, the decide restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining or in any other case depriving any of the candidates or their officers of their private liberty in reference to the subject material of the go well with, pending the listening to and dedication of the originating movement on discover.
The decide additionally emphasised the necessity for an expedited listening to, noting that the matter, being a basic human rights enforcement motion, must be heard expeditiously.
However, the court docket refused the candidates’ request for an order compelling the EFCC to return authentic paperwork allegedly seized from the premises of Honda Manufacturing (Nigeria) Limited throughout a go to to the corporate’s premises on September 24, 2026.
The candidates had requested the court docket to direct the fee to make photocopies of the paperwork, retain the copies and instantly return the originals to the corporate.
The paperwork, in response to the reduction sought, included authentic information referring to the corporate’s importation
The go well with was introduced below Sections 34, 35, 37, 40, 43 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and related provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.
The matter has been adjourned to 13 November 2026 for additional proceedings.
