The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation has replied to a suit filed by the immediate past governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, insisting that the ex-governor has no absolute rights shielding him from being investigated by law enforcement agencies.

Yari had filed his suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja, complaining that he was harassed, humiliated and his rights to liberty and freedom to own property violated by the EFCC under the pretext of investigating corruption allegations against him.

But in a counter-affidavit filed in opposition to the suit, the AGF office told the court that Yari’s rights to liberty and freedom to own property under the Nigerian Constitution could be curtailed under deserving circumstances.

The counter-affidavit deposed to on behalf of the AGF by Zekeri Friday, a litigation officer in the Civil Litigation Department of the Federal Ministry of Justice, also stated that the law enforcement agencies including the EFCC “are statutorily empowered to investigate, arrest and detain anybody that is alleged to have committed a crime”.

It added, “That the applicant’s right to personal liberty as guaranteed under the constitution is not absolute.

“That by the relevant laws, the applicant’s right to personal liberty or owning a property can be curtailed upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed an offence in owning property.”

Yari, through his lawyer, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), wants the court to restrain the EFCC from seizing his properties in any part of Nigeria in the name of investigation.

But the AGF’s counter-affidavit added, “That if this honourable court grants the relief of the applicants, the doors of corruption will thrive and consequently put the corporate existence of Nigeria in jeopardy.”

The EFCC had also made similar assertions in its counter-affidavit opposing Yari’s suit.

The commission said it could not be restrained by the court from performing its statutory responsibility of investigating economic and financial crimes.

Meanwhile, Justice Nkeonye Maha on Friday ordered the EFCC and the AGF “to respect the court and administration of justice”, by maintaining status quo in the case.

He made this order after Yari’s lawyer, Magaji , expressed apprehension that the EFCC could move against his client despite that his case was pending in court.

The AGF’s lawyer, Abdullahi Abubakar, EFCC’s counsel, Husseina Gambo, had informed the court that no action had been taken against the plaintiff since the time they were served with the August 26 order of the court summoning their clients to appear to show cause why they should not be restrained from seizing the ex-governor’s properties.

The judge on Friday fixed September 5 for hearing.

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