Teenager Detained Due to Mother’s Debt Takes EFCC to Court

Oluwateniola Omidiji, a third-year Nursing Science student at Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, missed her school exams after being apprehended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) due to an alleged debt.

The 19-year-old was detained by EFCC operatives from the Lagos zone on April 26, 2024, reportedly over a debt owed by her mother, Mrs. Omoniyi Omidiji, to a business partner.

In a case marked FHC/L/CS/759/224, filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, Miss Omidiji claimed she was unlawfully detained by EFCC operatives regarding a debt dispute involving her mother and Mr. Charles Nwoko from a business transaction dating back to 2020.

Nwoko alleged investing N100,000,000 into Mrs. Omidiji’s business, Elisto Global Services Limited, in which Oluwateniola is named as a director.

Oluwateniola, currently held by the EFCC, has expressed concern about missing 10 days of school examinations while in custody. Her lawyer, Chijioke Emeka, SAN, argues for the enforcement of her fundamental human rights, highlighting that she was a minor at the time of her mother’s business dealings.

The lawyer seeks damages of N10,000,000, citing breaches of Oluwateniola’s rights to human dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, and freedom of movement.

Efforts to reach the EFCC’s head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, were unsuccessful, and a date for further hearing is yet to be fixed.