Facts have emerged on why 16 state governments instituted a suit at the Supreme Court to challenge the legality of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

The suit, marked SC/CV/178/2023, was filed by Kogi State Government through its Attorney General, Muiz Abdullahi SAN, with 15 other states joining as co-plaintiffs.

The states are Ondo, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Nassarawa, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Enugu, Benue, Anambra, Plateau, Cross River, and Niger.

They contend that forming these agencies breached constitutional provisions, arguing the constitution required endorsement from a majority of states’ Houses of Assembly for the EFCC Act, which was not obtained.

A seven-member panel of apex court justices, led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, fixed October 22 for hearing and granted leave for consolidation.

Saturday PUNCH learnt the suit may be linked to the EFCC’s reopened N772bn money laundering cases against 13 former governors and ministers.

EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, views the legal actions as indicative of the commission’s effectiveness in fighting corruption.

Some states offered conflicting reasons for involvement. Oyo State claims alignment with their legal system, while Ogun State denies challenging EFCC’s constitutionality.