A former judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia was this morning. 11.40am,  whisked away from the premises of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja. Justice Ajumogobia (Rtd) was holed in the court room as she was trying to evade arrest by the EFCC operatives after a case she was standing trial was struck out by the court. There was mild drama at the court premises as officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) apprehended her

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 10 officials of the EFCC were lurking around the premises as she attempted to leave the courtroom at 10.24 a.m. after the ruling by Justice Hakeem Oshodi. Upon sighting the officials, the judge made a hasty retreat and went back upstairs into Justice Oshodi’s courtroom to seek the protection of the court from the EFCC officials.

Justice Oshodi when notified about the development said there was nothing he could do as “the file had been closed.” The embattled former judge and her husband who was with her, were observed frantically making various phone calls. Mr Godwin Obla. SAN, Ofili-Ajumogobia’s codefendant was however allowed to exit the court premises by officials of the EFCC.

However, when Justice Oshodi’s court rose, she was apprehended at 11.47 a.m. by some EFCC officials who whisked her away in a white hilux van with Abuja plate number BWR637AT. NAN reports that earlier, Justice Oshodi, in a ruling struck out  the 31-count charge filed by the EFCC against Ofili-Ajumogobia and Obla on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit. The judge ruled that based on the judicial precedent set by the case of Justice Nganjiwa Vs FRN, the EFCC had “jumped the gun” in filing the first amended charge.

Justice Oshodi noted that the anti-graft commission had not followed the procedures set by the National Judicial Council (NJC) in disciplining erring judicial officers.

NAN