Court Clears ICPC to Investigate Two Former Abia Lawmakers

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has won a landmark legal battle at the Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State, clearing the way to probe two former members of the Abia State House of Assembly.

The court dismissed separate suits filed by Kalu Chikwendu and Apugo Chukwudi J., who had sought to prevent the Commission from summoning them over allegations concerning their conduct while in office. The cases, marked FHC/UM/CS/108/2025 and FHC/UM/CS/109/2025, challenged the constitutionality of Section 28 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, claiming it conflicted with Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution.

The court, however, ruled that the suits were an attempt to use the judiciary to shield themselves from lawful investigation. All reliefs sought by the plaintiffs were refused, and the court ordered each to pay ₦500,000 in costs, noting that the actions were initiated in bad faith.

The judgment confirms the ICPC’s authority to investigate corruption-related offences and clears the way for it to continue its inquiries into the former lawmakers’ activities while in office.