The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday denied beaming its anti-corruption searchlight on the presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Kano Division, Honourable Justice Ita Mbaba.
EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed this in a statement, dismissing some media reports that the judge is under investigation.
“We wish to restate, that Hon. Justice Ita Mbaba is not under any investigation by the EFCC. The Commission holds the Judiciary in optimum respect and will do nothing to embarrass any officer of the court,” the EFCC spokesman said.
He however admitted that operatives of the agency visited the residence of the judge located on Sheik Yusuf Adam Game Street, off Race Cross Road, Nassarawa Government Reservation Area, Kano.
According to Uwujaren, the visit was on a property verification exercise and not to probe Justice Mbaba.
The EFCC spokesman added, “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to some reports on social media, alleging that its operatives, in the Kano Zonal Command “invaded” the residence of the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Kano Division, Honourable Justice Ita Mbaba, located on Sheik Yusuf Adam Game street, off Race Cross Road, Nasarawa Government Reservation Area, Kano.
“While it is true that operatives of the Commission visited the property housing Justice Mbaba, on a Property Verification exercise, owing to a subsisting matter involving the owner of the property, there is no truth, linkage or nexus with any investigation of the Honourable Justice of the Court of Appeal. Available facts showed that Justice Mbaba is not the owner of the property and could, therefore, not be the subject of any investigation by the Commission.”