In Abuja’s Federal High Court, a fundamental rights lawsuit brought by Nadeem Anjarwalla, a Binance executive, against the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was recently dismissed. Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the ruling when Anjarwalla’s legal representatives did not attend the proceedings.
Anjarwalla had initiated the legal action seeking the court to declare his detention by Nigerian authorities illegal and to award costs in his favor. He emphasized the hardship and emotional stress caused to him, his family, and his relatives due to his continued detention.
Tonye Krukrubo, SAN, who previously represented Anjarwalla, withdrew from the case without stating the reasons for his decision. This move followed confirmation from the NSA that Anjarwalla had fled the country after escaping detention.
During the court session, Justice Ekwo noted that Krukrubo had earlier sought to withdraw from representing Anjarwalla to allow him to find new legal counsel. However, as no replacement counsel appeared, the judge proceeded to strike out the case for lack of diligent prosecution.
The judge emphasized the importance of both parties being represented in court and declared that Anjarwalla no longer had legal representation in the case. The court registrar announced the case at the recent hearing, but neither Anjarwalla nor legal representatives from either side were present.
Consequently, Justice Ekwo decided to strike out the fundamental rights case due to the absence of diligent prosecution. This ruling signifies the end of the legal challenge brought by Anjarwalla against the NSA and EFCC regarding his detention and subsequent legal actions.
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