A former governor of an oil rich Nigerian state has won immunity from investigation by anti-graft agencies.
Former Rivers state governor Peter Odili cannot be investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, a court has ruled.
The court in Port Harcourt issued a “perpetual injunction” barring the federal agency from investigating state finances.
Mr Odili who denies corruption, has long been a target of the EFCC.
State vs Federal
Just before he left office in May last year, Mr Odili secured an injunction preventing the EFCC from investigating the state’s finances on the grounds the Federal Government had no legal right to the state records.
The EFCC appealed against the injunction and it has yet to come to court.
But the EFCC also launched a fresh investigation into Mr Odili, saying he had not been part of the original inquiry.
But a judge said the injunction remains valid until a higher court rules otherwise.
Rivers State has seen little improvement in recent years for its oil-wealth and the millions of dollars poured into it by the Federal Government.