The decision of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ask members of staff to vacate the premises of Sun Publishing Limited in Lagos has not gone down well with management of the company. Sun Publishing Limited publishes the Sun newspaper.
Few days ago, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who owns the media outfit, was convicted for over N7 billion fraud he committed while he was Governor of Abia State from 1999 to 2007. After he was sentenced to 12 years in prison, the court asked federal government to seize his company, Slok Nigeria Limited.
On Saturday morning, operatives of the EFCC, the agency that secured his conviction, stormed The Sun on 2, Coscharis street, Kikikiri Industrial Layout, Apapa, Lagos, to seal it up.
But the management, in a statement, said the organisation was not a party to the suit in court, wondering why the anti-graft agency marked the building with the notice ‘EFCC, Keep Off’.
“We do not understand the legal basis for this EFCC action. It is on record that there is a pending appeal at the Supreme Court with Suit No: SC/546/2018 wherein The Sun Publishing Limited appealed against the Judgement delivered by the Court of Appeal on the interim forfeiture order made against it by a Federal High Court in 2007 based on ex parte proceeding. The Notice of Appeal and Motion for Stay of Execution were duly served on EFCC by the bailiffs of the Court,” a part of the statement read.
The management explained that, “The Sun Publishing Limited is an ongoing corporate limited liability company and its shares are owned by various individuals distinct from Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
“Therefore, the recent Judgment against Senator Orji Uzor Kalu should not be used to disturb the operations of the company and the proprietary rights of its innocent shareholders until the matters are dispensed with at the Supreme Court.”
It stressed that, “The Sun Publishing Limited was not a party to the case of EFCC vs. Orji Uzor Kalu & 2 Others, so we do not see why the Judgment in that case should lead to attempt to seal The Sun Publishing Limited premises.”
The management noted that, “EFCC vide a letter written by Counsel to The Sun Publishing Limited, dated 22nd May, 2018 and duly received by one Caleb Peter on behalf of Rotimi Jacobs & Co. was further put on notice of the pending appeal at the Supreme Court and advised to stay action in the matter pending the hearing of the Motion for Stay of execution and the appeal.”
“Furthermore, we are aware that both Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Slok Nig Limited have since appealed the Judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Idris and a hearing date given,” it added.
Concluding, it said, “In view of the foregoing, we call and appeal to the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice to urgently intervene and advise EFCC appropriately on the legal consequences of its actions.”
The management said EFCC carried out yesterday’s operation with three of its officials and four heavily armed policemen at about 10:00am. It said the operatives came in a white Toyota bus with registration number, ABUJA BWR-644GA, wrote on its fence, EFCC, keep off and advised its employees to collect their personal belongings from the office because they will return to seal the premises completely.
Modupe Gbadeyanka 
Adedapo Adesanya