Chappal Energies: There’s a court order preventing EFCC from inviting, arresting our CEO

Chappal Energies, a Nigerian-owned firm, says the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) made no attempt to contact Ufoma Immanuel, its chief executive officer (CEO), through any official channels before declaring him wanted.

In a public notice on Wednesday, the anti-graft agency declared Immanuel wanted for an alleged case of obtaining money by false pretence and forgery.

The company acknowledged the public notice in a statement on Thursday.

Chappal said enforcement actions under Nigerian law are guided by established procedures that require reasonable attempts at direct engagement through official channels before issuing or acting on a warrant.

“To our knowledge, no attempt was made to engage Mr. Immanuel or the Company through these channels prior to the issuance of the notice, which creates the unfortunate impression of a public escalation where standard procedures were readily available,” the statement reads.

The company said both Immanuel and Chappal Energies can be easily reached through their official addresses, phone numbers, and electronic contacts, all of which are publicly available.

According to the statement, Chappal Energies and its directors “have recently faced coordinated pressures linked to an ongoing civil dispute”.

The sequence of events, the company said, ultimately led to an order by J.E. Obanor, a judge at the high court in Abuja.

The statement noted that on September 11, an interlocutory injunction was granted, “restraining the EFCC and other listed respondents from inviting, questioning, arresting, detaining or otherwise acting against Mr. Immanuel or Chappal Energies”.

“This order remains in force and as such, the circumstances surrounding this public notice, despite a binding court order, creates the impression of external actors seeking public spectacle and mischief rather than adherence to legal due process,” the company said.

“Chappal Energies continues to respect the roles of all statutory institutions, including the EFCC and remain committed to full cooperation with all relevant authorities through the proper legal channels.

“However, the Company will take appropriate legal steps to address this development.”

Chappal Energies said its operations remain uninterrupted, “and our leadership remains focused on delivering long-term value in line with our commitments to partners, regulators and stakeholders”.